- Utilisation of the UK’s EV public charging network continues to grow, as the number of successful EV charging sessions carried out on the public network has now reached over 2 million on a monthly basis.
- The data, gathered by Zapmap, shows growing demand and popularity for public charging, as an increasing number of drivers make the switch to fully-electric vehicles.
- The figures indicate a high level of utilisation for the 76,000 charge points currently on the public network.
Demand for public EV chargers in the UK continues to grow
Of the average 2 million-plus charging sessions taking place every month, around 60% of the charging sessions can be contributed to rapid or ultra-rapid chargers (those with a charging speed of 50kW or higher).
The milestone is yet more evidence that the popularity of electric vehicles in the UK is growing at a fast rate – particularly for those drivers who undertake longer journeys or do not have access to home charging, who need to make use of the public charging network. Just last week, research indicated that EVs now cover more annual mileage on average than their petrol counterparts. The recent opening of InstaVolt’s first ‘super hub’ also highlights the increased demand, both current and forecasted, for public charging.
With the new data that has been made publicly accessible through the open data aspect of the new Public Charge Point Regulations, Zapmap has also collated data on the busiest times of year for CPOs across the country. In 2024, the busiest day for charging was the 23rd of December, with 104,215 public charging sessions completed. In the summer period, the busiest day was the 2nd of August, with 33,250 charging sessions.
Knowledge and tracking of such figures will be key for CPOs to meet reliability and uptime regulations into the future, as well as to meet customer demand and keep satisfaction high. Ensuring that sufficient grid connections are in place, when new sites are built or sites are expanded, will also be crucial to this goal.
Jade Edwards, Head of Insights at Zapmap, commented:
“As increasing numbers of drivers transition to electric vehicles and more investment is made into the charging infrastructure, tracking utilisation to fully understand usage patterns will not only ensure that CPOs optimise the customer experience but also enable them to progress towards profitable businesses.”
