Workplace EV chargers outnumber public charge points, report suggests

There are more charge points in the workplace than public chargers for electric vehicle (EVs), a new study suggests.

The report, commissioned by Transport and Environment (T&E), found there are 33,000 charge points at workplaces across the UK, compared to 31,500 at public sites.

T&E says 7,600 public chargers were installed in the last year. The analysis, by Cenex, claims that the existing public network has enough charge points for the number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) currently on the roads in the UK.

However, as the kerbside charging map from the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP) shows, where those chargers are located is critical to the uptake of EVs. 

Nevertheless, T&E says that as long as the installation rates continue at pace, the country will be more than ready for higher targets to be adopted in the UK’s proposed Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate. 

Ralph Palmer, UK electric vehicles and fleets officer at T&E, said: “The numbers are proving skeptics wrong: the British people are moving to electric vehicles and there are enough charging stations available to help them in their transition.

“Workplace chargers play a key role in the country’s transition to electric. That’s why the Government should require all non-residential sites to install charging stations so that workers can readily have their vehicle charged for their commute home.” 

However, T&E accepts that regional distribution of charging points is still an issue.

London surges far ahead for the number of chargers installed per region. It also leads in the average power of chargers, with a greater number of rapid and ultra-rapid (>50kW and >100kW) chargers.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland is not only the lowest in the absolute number of chargers already installed, but it is also adding them at a slower rate than any other region (8% growth in 2021, compared to a 49% growth in London).

The priority for the Government should be to ensure regions don’t get left behind ahead of the expected surge in numbers of electric vehicles, T&E says.
The number of EVs in the UK is continuing to accelerate at pace, with 14.4% of new car registrations in 2022 pure electric, doubling from the previous year.

The Government has responded to this increase with its recent Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, which sets a target for the UK to have 300,000 charge points by 2030.

The Government has pledged £450 million to deliver its public charging network. However, Palmer said: “It’s not enough to throw money at local authorities without a clear strategy.

"The Government needs to level up its charging network and ensure sufficient coverage from Land's End to John o' Groats. Interim targets and clear policy guidance must be provided by central Government to ensure success.”