Rapid Charger availability up by 37% in 2020

For Electric Vehicle (“EV”) owners there is nothing but positive news at the moment, with the installation of public chargers up by a quarter in 2020. Of the chargers installed across the UK 3,880 were rapid charger equipped.

What isn't so good, is the vast regional differences in EV charging locations. With the push to EV only in 2030, the fuel source needs to be widely available to all.

Zap-Map, who currently map the EV charging locations, availability and type of charger for most of the known chargers in the UK alongside the Department for Transport has revealed an uneven geographical distribution of public EV charging stations across the UK.

If you're able to park your vehicle with access to a charging box at home or work, the need for a public charger is somewhat reduced but for those who do not have access to off-road parking at home with a wall box or charging at work, the need for public chargers equates to not having a petrol station in your village.

Per 100,000 people, England has 31 chargers available, Scotland 40, Wales 26 and Northern Ireland just 17. The split in England becomes more regional, with a defined North-South divide.

The lowest areas per 100,000 to offer public EV charging points is the North West, Yorkshire and Humber offering 19, with the West Midlands just pipping them with 20 per 100,000.

In stark contrast, the south seems substantially equipped, with London offering 69 per 100,000 - the South East 31 and South West 28.

We must emphasise this is only publicly available chargers: those at the roadside, transport link parking lots, supermarkets and normal pay-and-display car parks, services and petrol stations. Privately-owned chargers are not listed, so the situation may not be as bleak as it first seems for us Northerners!

The figures do show that the number of rapid chargers installed has increased with nationally, with 350 in the fourth quarter of 2020 alone. Currently, there are 5.8 rapid chargers per 100,000 people in the UK.