Time to ‘level up’ public charge point availability for electric vehicles

Fleet Evolution is urging the Government to ‘level up’ the charge point infrastructure in the UK, after it was revealed the London Borough of Westminster has more public charge points than six major UK cities.

Westminster – with one of the most comprehensive public transport networks in the UK – has 1,095 public charge points for electric vehicles (EVs).

That’s more than the number of charge points available in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle combined at 977 and represents a “national disgrace”, says Fleet Evolution founder and managing director, Andrew Leech.

He said: “At a time when many companies are looking to go electric to meet national and local sustainability targets, they are being held back by a lack of investment in public charge points across the north - and especially in our major northern cities which have some of the densest populations in the country.”

A recent EV attitude survey that Fleet Evolution carried out in conjunction with Aston University revealed that the factors that made people hesitate in making the transition to EVs, were 36% cost, 28% range anxiety and 25% lack of public charging.

Charging infrastructure was an area where lack of detailed knowledge was clearly apparent, says Fleet Evolution, with 67% of those surveyed saying they did not live within five minutes of a public charge point.

Leech said: “While the figures are growing nationally, and with the Prime Minster announcing in November that up to 145,000 charge points are to be installed across the country each year through to 2030, it seems ludicrous that there is still such a huge disparity between north and south – especially when our survey showed that public charging was of such great concern to so many people.

“City councils need to step up to the plate and install the requisite infrastructure to support the growing numbers of EVs.

“Merely creating clean air zones without offering sufficient charge points is simply kicking the can down the road.”

> Interested in comparing electric vehicle data? Check out our EV tool.

> Interested in ensuring the efficient use of EVs. Check out our dedicated editorial sections: Insight & policy | EV news | Charging & infrastructure | Costs & incentives | Benefit-in-kind | EV case studies | EV road tests

> EVs by range

> EVs by their efficiency

> Rapid charging EVs

> EVs by price: lowest to highest