The UK has seen a significant increase in the number of public electric vehicle (EV) chargers in recent years as demand for EVs grows and the government sets ambitious targets for their adoption.

According to data from Zap-Map, there were more than 8,700 public EV chargers installed in the UK in 2022, bringing the total number available to over 37,000.

This represents a year-on-year increase of 30%, although the growth rate in EV sales was higher at 38% for the year ending November 2022.

The UK government has set a target of 300,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030, when the sale of new petrol or diesel-only cars will be banned. To reach this goal, the number of chargers installed would need to more than double to 19,000 by 2025 and continue to increase after that.

While the 300,000 target may seem ambitious, many in the industry believe it is achievable. Investment in EV charging infrastructure is strong, but there are still challenges to be addressed, such as the need for local authorities to take action and for central government to provide funding for charging points in locations like NHS sites.

There are also issues around ensuring that chargers are installed in the right places and that the benefits of EVs are understood by local communities.

In 2022, there were 7,000 new “slow” chargers installed, with the capacity to deliver up to 22 kW of power. These on-street chargers, which can be used cheaply overnight, will be important for households without private off-street parking.

The market for ultra-rapid chargers, which can deliver more than 100 kW of power and add up to 200 miles of charge in half an hour, has also attracted significant investment from companies including Tesla, Instavolt, Shell, and BP.

These chargers offer the potential for a steady stream of paying customers as well as a captive audience for shops and restaurants at service stations.