Latest data from Zapmap shows that, as at the end of February, there are 75,675 charge points in the United Kingdom (UK), with high-powered devices continuing to show the strongest growth.
Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder & COO at Zapmap, says: “An extensive network of public charging, especially high visibility hubs, helps drive confidence for the next wave of drivers who will be making the switch to electric over the next few years.”
“As the infrastructure continues to grow, Zapmap’s focus is to make sure that EV drivers have access to the best up-to-date information so they can find and pay for public charging with confidence,” she adds.
The figures represent a 32% year-on-year increase compared to February 2024, when 57,290 devices were recorded.
Operated by Ionity, the 75,000th public charge point is one of eight ultra-rapid and four rapid devices installed at the Village Hotel, Bristol.
With each ultra-rapid device delivering up to 350 kilowatts (kW) of power, the site is in close proximity to the M4, M5 and M32 motorways and easily accessible for electric vehicle (EV) drivers looking for en-route charging.
At the same time, the location provides a destination in its own right, providing hotel facilities, a gym, pool, co-working spaces, Starbucks and a Pub & Grill.
Ionity is also a Zap-Pay partner, meaning that EV drivers using its charge points can pay quickly and easily using Zapmap’s in-app payment solution, avoiding the hassle of using different payment methods across the various charging networks.
Andreas Atkins, Country Manager, UK & Ireland, Ionity, says: “We’ve doubled the number of chargers available in the UK year-on-year in the past two years, including our largest site in the UK at Dartford, and that’s come as part of a huge push alongside other CPOs right across the country to accommodate every kind of transport.”
“That these chargers are available through a consolidated hub like Zapmap, informing and educating road users, is huge for normalising EV travel,” he adds.
2024 saw a record rate of charge point installation with particularly strong growth in the ultra-rapid segment (150kW+), which has seen an increase of 74% in installations since the end of February 2024.
While ultra-rapid growth has been particularly strong, the public charging infrastructure has seen growth across all charging use cases, from en-route charging for longer journeys, charging provision at destinations such as hotels and leisure centres, as well as lower-powered charge points on residential streets for drivers unable to charge at home.
Looking forward, assuming that the ZEV mandate regulations are not watered, it is expected that the EV infrastructure will continue to see strong growth.
As projects funded by LEVI (Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) come to fruition, a high number of on-street chargers will be rolled out through the second half of the year, with numbers being further bolstered by investment from the private sector.
Vicky Read, CEO at ChargeUK, states: “Today’s announcement is yet more proof that ChargeUK’s members are getting on with the job, with the public network having grown by 37% in 2024. But now is not the time for complacency. Millions more EVs will be sold in the coming years, so we need to keep the momentum going with ChargeUK’s members having committed to invest six billion pounds by 2030 to do just this.”
“Though translating investment into chargers requires a supportive policy environment. That means a strong and stable ZEV mandate and positive steps to address barriers to affordability and deployment, such as equalising VAT, a solution to rising standing charges, and the speeding up of grid connections,” she adds.
Kelli Turner, General Counsel / Director of ESG, Village Hotel Club, indicates: “At Village, we’re proud to play a role in supporting this shift through the installation of ultra-rapid chargers across our estate.”
“This not only allows electric vehicle users to charge much faster than a standard charger, but also has the added convenience of allowing visitors to charge while at their local Village Gym, using our coworking space VWorks, or just popping in for a coffee at an onsite Starbucks,” she adds.
Read more: Wenea UK: “We aim to be a leading rapid charging network in 2025”
