London's dominance of EV charge points 'holding back rest of UK'

The capital and south-east account for 44 per cent of Britain's EV chargers, says public spending watchdog

An electric car is recharged at a roadside charging point in London. Getty Images

The UK's electric vehicle infrastructure needs an overhaul, a public spending watchdog has warned, as it revealed that almost half of all public charge points are clustered in London and the south-east.

Installation of chargers has been led by the needs of “early adopters”, said the report by the National Audit Office.

That has resulted in the capital having more than twice as many charge points per capita compared to any other region, with London and the south-east accounting for 44 per cent of EV chargers across the UK. Only 15 per cent of charge points in England are currently in rural areas.

By July, more than 64,600 public charge points were installed. This means the rollout is “on track” to meet the 300,000 the Department for Transport estimated will be the minimum needed by 2030, the report said.

But the target does not consider their locations, it warned. And the aim could be met without achieving “the spread of charge points needed to support road transport across the whole country”, said the NAO.

A “greater focus” is needed on where charge points are located, said the report, while recommending the government develop regional and urban/rural forecasts of demand for EV charging.

As of July, just 62 per cent of motorway service areas reported having at least six ultra-rapid charge points. The previous Conservative government aimed for all motorway service areas to have that level of charging capacity by the end of 2023.

The NAO also warned that the charger rollout “has not met the needs of drivers with disabilities”.

It said many devices or their surroundings “have features which make them inaccessible to drivers with disabilities”, such as being installed on kerbs, having a heavy cable, or having features or instructions too high or too low.

Improving public charging infrastructure is seen as vital to encouraging drivers to switch to electric motoring.

A charging station at a motorway service station near Leeds in northern England. Getty Images

The government has committed to bring the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans forward from 2035 to 2030.

“Government's estimate of the 300,000 public electric vehicle charge points needed by 2030 appears achievable, although there is more to do to ensure adequate coverage in all parts of the country, said Gareth Davies, head of the NAO.

“Government is using regulation to improve the user experience of public charge points and needs to address access for people with disabilities.”

Edmund King, president of motoring association the AA, said it is “vital” that communities are not left behind.

“The NAO is right to point out that northern and rural areas are not seeing installations at the same rate as the South,” he said.

“Similarly, we must ensure that the major A-road network can provide regular charging points.

“To provide confidence to drivers now and in the future, it is crucial that all road users, including those with mobility issues, can use public chargers easily.”

Simon Williams, head of policy with the RAC motoring organisation, said more needs to be done. “Getting the necessary connections to the National Grid is vital to ensure no part of the country is left behind when it comes to being able to swiftly charge an EV,” said Mr Williams.

A DfT official said the UK is making “good progress” in rolling out charge points across the UK, with over 72,000 public chargers now available, which is almost a 40 per cent increase compared to December 2023.

An electric car at a rapid charging point in Manchester, north-west England. Getty Images

“We're also providing over £2.3 billion to support industry and drivers make the switch, and our measures are working, with EVs making up one in four of all cars sold this November,” said the official.

Meanwhile, one in four new cars registered in the UK last month were fully electric, according to figures released this month.

The figures represent the highest monthly market share for EVs in nearly two years, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders industry body.

Last month's figure of 25 per cent exceeds the UK target of EVs composing 22 per cent of new car sales for 2024. However, the year-to-date figure is 18.7 per cent of new car sales – more than 3 per cent below the government target, the SMMT said.

EV sales have held up better in the UK this year than they have in the EU, where the removal of incentives has stifled demand in key countries like Germany.

UK rules require that 80 per cent of new car sales should be zero-emission vehicles by the end of the decade. Sales of hybrid vehicles will be allowed until 2035, under government plans.

Car makers face fines of as much as £15,000 ($19,100) per vehicle if they fail to comply, though they can avoid penalties by using a credits-trading system and exceeding requirements in later years.