UK charger utilization “keeping pace” with EV growth, with no reports of unused sites

With the goal of making all new car and van sales zero-emission by 2035, the sector is increasingly focused on developing a robust infrastructure to support this target.

Fortunately, the current assessment of the charging network by companies is optimistic.

“In some areas, we have more infrastructure than electric vehicles, but in others, we’re still behind,” says Kevin Pugh, Vice President and Head of Sales for the UK and Europe at Tritium, in an interview with Mobility Portal Europe.

However, he adds:

“But based on what I see personally —and considering the investment and deployment plans of the UK’s main charge point operators (CPOs)— I believe we’re quite well positioned for growth.”

This optimism is not only reflected in the numbers but also in utilization rates.

“Current utilization rates indicate that we are keeping pace. If CPOs are expanding their sites due to higher usage, that tells us demand is there and infrastructure growth is aligning with the growth of the electric vehicle fleet,” Pugh points out.

He further notes:

“I’m not hearing reports of ‘dead’ sites with no usage. Nor of overcrowded areas with a single station that can’t cope with demand.”

It is worth noting that, according to Zapmap, by the end of September 2025, there were 86,021 charging devices across 43,507 charging locations, totaling 114,486 EV supply equipment (EVSE) units and 120,700 connectors.

The geographic area with the highest number of EV charging points is Greater London, with 26,668; followed by the South East with 11,007; and the West Midlands with 7,664. These figures encompass all types of charging devices.

The number of public charge points in the UK rose from 28,460 at the end of 2021 to 53,865 at the end of 2023, and to over 73,000 by the end of 2024. Since August 2024, the public network has grown by 25%.

To contextualize the number of chargers, it’s key to consider the number of zero-emission vehicles in the UK’s fleet: Zapmap estimates there are over 1.7 million fully electric cars on British roads.

As a rough reference point, using the 120,000 available connectors as a basis for analysis, one could estimate around 15 electric vehicles per connector.

“The feedback we’re getting and the speed at which CPOs are deploying chargers across different regions —now with larger sites, not just two or three chargers, but six to eight high-power chargers— show that we are indeed moving at the right pace,” Pugh concludes.

Data Modul Day: “Make your EV station reliable, visible, and durable with HMI solutions”

On 5 November, Data Modul will host a web seminar on HMI solutions for EV charging stations — a must-attend event for manufacturers seeking to innovate and optimise their products.

The event will be broadcast live in English on the Strategic Energy Corp YouTube channel.

Registration is free and open to anyone interested in electric mobility and the latest technological trends in the sector.

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