Installs up for EV charging points – uneven growth sees many regions lag behind

The number of electric car charging points for public use went up by 33% in the past 12 months, according to new Department for Transport figures.

There are now 30,290 publicly available charging devices across the country.

Publicly accessible rapid charging device numbers increased to just under 5,500, a 29% rise over 12 months since the start of April 2021.

All regions enjoyed an increase in the number of charging devices – around the 5% mark for the majority of areas – from January to March this year, but growth was far from equal. While London enjoyed a 9.4% rise in charging devices, closely followed by the West Midlands with 9.3%, Northern Ireland trailed behind with a 0.9% increase.

The picture changes for rapid charging devices with Northern Ireland registering the highest rise of 13.6%, while London had the lowest with 1.9%. However, Northern Ireland lags behind many parts of the country with 1.3 rapid charging devices per 100,000 population, while Scotland has the highest proportion of devices at 13.6 per 100,000. The North East – 9.4 – and London – 9.1 – follow.

Greg Wilson, Founder of electric car insurance comparison site Quotezone.co.uk comments: “It’s encouraging that the rate of charging installs for electric vehicles is on the rise but with only eight years left on the clock before drivers can no longer purchase petrol or diesel vehicles, this increase would need to gather pace.

“While recent electric car sales have been impressive, charging facilities are uneven throughout the country which could put the brakes on customers’ current enthusiasm for greener motoring.

“Government tax incentives, competitive electric car insurance costs and the soaring increase in demand and price of second-hand petrol and diesel vehicles, have all helped spur on the electric revolution to date.”

Previous figures from 2021 suggest the progress being made is headed in the right direction, but regional infrastructure growth is a consistent issue.

Quotezone.co.uk helps around 3 million users every year, with over 400 insurance brands across 60 different products including electric car insurance – recommended by 97% of reviewers.