More than 2,000 new UK chargers were installed in both March and April 2023, taking the National total past 42,000. The average number of new chargers installed per month in 2023 to date has increased by 75% compared to the same period in 2022.
New stats from Zapmap, the EV charging mapping service and independent authority on EV infrastructure, show 2,080 new charge points were switched on in April 2023, and over 6,400 so far in 2023. This is an increase of 14% in net new chargers since the beginning of 2023 and 35% since this time last year. The rate of charge point installations has increased significantly in 2023, with an average of 1,625 new chargers being installed each month compared to 914 per month across the same period in 2022 and 1,115 per month across the whole of 2022.
The increase in new ultra-rapid charging points that can deliver a full charge in as little as 20 minutes was 655. That brings the total number of ultra-rapid chargers to 2,869 – a 25% increase in net new chargers available since the beginning of 2023 and a jump of 79% on this time last year.
An additional 3,415 fast chargers, typically found in car parks or destinations and 1,828 slower chargers that are used in residential streets and workplaces also came on stream. There are now 42,556 public chargers in use in the UK.
ChargeUK, who launched last month, have brought together 19 leading companies responsible for the UK’s charging infrastructure. At the time they announced £6 billion of investment and plans to double the number of charge points in 12 months.
“These new statistics combined with the investment the members of ChargeUK have already committed to confirm the UK’s position as one of the best places in the world to run and charge an electric vehicle,” said Ian Johnston, Chair of ChargeUK. “The rate of deployment is increasing month-on-month, but we can go much faster with the right policies and help from Government to remove the barriers that are currently constraining the roll-out.”
“A growing and robust public infrastructure is critical to give EV drivers confidence when out and about,” said Melanie Shufflebotham COO and Co-founder at Zapmap. ““The charger rollout is gathering pace both with high powered chargers to support en route charging, and also more local charging where it is needed to support charging closer to home. Evidence suggests that this is set to continue across 2023 which is good news for EV drivers and those thinking about going electric.”
