Public EV chargers outnumber petrol pumps two-to-one

There are now more than 116,000 public EV chargers in the UK – more than double the number of petrol pumps, according to the latest information published by the Department for Transport (DfT).

The most up-to-date charging infrastructure figures show that there are 116,052 public EV devices around the country – equivalent to around one charger per 11 EVs. While there is no centralised data on the number of individual fuel pumps, the DfT estimates there to be around 60,800 nationwide.

That figure is based on data from the Petrol Retailers Association and RAC Foundation, and involves multiplying the number of petrol stations (8,329) by the average number of refuelling positions (7.3).

Based on the most recent breakdown of the UK’s car parc, that’s equivalent to one pump for every 570 cars, although petrol and diesel vehicles take far less time to refuel – for now, at least.

Moreover, the 116,052 figure doesn’t account for the number of home charge points, suggesting the UK’s appetite for electric vehicles is stronger than ever. Last year, EVs accounted for almost a quarter of all new car sales and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders predicts a sharp increase this year, despite a slow January.

In January this year alone, EV charging site, Zapmap, revealed that 677 new public charge points were installed across the UK, while the Government continues its EV drive by increasing its Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant from £350 to £500 for some households and businesses.

Vicky Edmonds, the CEO of EV drivers’ organisation, EVA England, described the news as a “milestone”.

“This milestone shows we’re genuinely moving in the right direction and building the charging network that drivers need to make the switch to electric with confidence,” she said. “But we shouldn’t stop here. Ensuring reliable, affordable and convenient charging where people live, work and travel is key to helping even more drivers make the transition smoothly.”

Despite the uptick in public charging infrastructure, the EVA found that many motorists still face a ‘postcode lottery‘ in this respect. EV drivers in London and the south have the best access to public chargers, while those living in the ‘Northern Five’ cities comprising Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, and Sheffield came off worse.