Record number of public electric vehicle chargers installed in UK in 2022 | Automotive industry

UK companies have installed a record number of public electric vehicle chargers in 2022 as they race to dominate the fast-growing and potentially lucrative market.

According to data company Zap-Map, more than 8,700 public chargers were installed in the UK in the year to 22 December, with a total of more than 37,000 available. This is a 30% year-on-year increase, slower than the 38% annual growth rate for battery electric vehicle sales in the year to November.

The Boris Johnson administration has announced a goal of 300,000 publicly available chargers by 2030. By 2030, sales of new pure petrol or diesel vehicles will be banned. A 30% year-on-year increase in the number of installed chargers would be enough to meet the target, but that would mean annual installations more than doubling to 19,000 by 2025, and accelerating from there. means to

Despite the scale of the challenge, many in the industry believe the 300,000 vehicle target is realistic, according to Ben Nermes, CEO of think tank New Automotive. Charger companies are investing more than they can work for, but problems could remain if local governments are slow to act, he said.

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, which plans to install 190,000 on-street chargers by 2030, expects the number of chargers to grow significantly further in 2023. 2030 EV compatible”.

Local governments need to install “hundreds, even thousands of charging points in their areas, not just a handful,” and central government also has a role to play at places such as NHS sites, he said.

“The biggest challenge facing the EV industry remains scale, but it’s also important to have it in the right place where it has the greatest need,” he said. “Cooperation between central and local governments, businesses and charging point operators is a prerequisite for securing the necessary funding for a full transition, as well as winning the hearts and minds of local communities about the benefits of electric vehicles. .”

Some electric vehicle owners report queues for chargers during Christmas and New Year, one of the busiest times of long-distance travel. However, Zap-Map co-founder and chief operating officer Melanie Shufflebotham said about 1,000 will be added by the end of 2022, with fast and ultra-fast chargers “halfway through” being introduced “at a significant rate.” It is said that

Fast and super fast chargers can deliver over 25 kilowatts (kW) and over 100 kW of power, respectively, and can charge 200 miles in 30 minutes.

The ultra-rapid market is attracting large sums of money from companies such as automakers Tesla and Instabolt, and oil companies Shell and BP. Halfway recharges offer a steady stream of users willing to pay a premium for faster recharges and the promise of a captive audience of shops and restaurants for the service.

But Shufflebotham said the number of low-speed street chargers is growing “quite rapidly, but partly”, partly because local governments have taken a very different approach.

In 2022, there will be 7,000 new ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ chargers up to 22kW. Street chargers that can charge cheaply at night are important for millions of households who do not have private off-street parking.