Electric car owners around the UK have cause for celebration with new data showing there are now 100,000 public EV chargers, with experts forecasting that lofty 2030 targets will be met.
New research from Octopus Electroverse's new Charging Infrastructure Insights report shows there are more than 100,000 public electric vehicle chargers now available to drivers across the country.
Over the last six months, one new public charger has been installed every 13 minutes, as the UK moves towards its target of 100,000 chargers by the end of the decade.
The report found that rapid and ultra-rapid chargers are being rolled out at the quickest pace, and now make up an impressive 24 per cent of all public chargers.
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There are now more than one million public electric vehicle chargers across the UK
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The rollout of public electric vehicle chargers stands in stark contrast to the falling number of petrol stations, with just 8,300 available across the UK.
Matt Davies, Director of Octopus Electroverse, said: "This milestone shows we are building real momentum behind electric driving in the UK.
"Drivers can now trust there is a charger at almost every twist and turn of the road - making plugging in an EV feel as easy as charging up your phone.
"We're well on track to turning the Government’s 300,000 target by 2030 into a reality. And with new rules raising standards on reliability and ease of use, drivers can feel more confident than ever."
The report also highlighted how a charging session is started every few seconds by an Electroverse electric car driver, fleet member or partner car manufacturer.
Separate data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that there are more than one million electric vehicles on the road across the country.
In March alone, almost 70,000 new battery electric vehicles were registered, marking a 42.3 per cent change year-on-year.
It comes as registrations of new petrol and diesel vehicles continue to fall, with new petrol car sales making up less than 50 per cent of the total market share.
Councils are also making use of available investment from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which allows local authorities to install community chargers.
Lambeth Council recently announced that it had been awarded £1.36million to upgrade its EV charging network. This funding will be used to install up to 404 chargers across the London borough.
The West Midlands Combined Authority also made use of the LEVI fund, with £15.7million being used to install up to 12,000 chargers across the region over the next five years.
Brighton and Hove City Council became one of the first local authorities to use the LEVI funding alongside chargepoint operator char.gy, announcing it would fit more than 6,000 chargers using a £130million contract.
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Almost one-quarter of new chargers can deliver rapid or ultra-rapid speeds
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A Government spokesperson said: "One in four of all cars sold in February was electric, and last year saw a record 382,000 EVs sold – the highest in Europe. There are also more than 75,000 public chargepoints now available in the UK, with a new one installed every 29 minutes.
“We’re investing over £2.3 billion to support industry and consumers make the switch, tapping into a multibillion-pound industry that will create high-paid jobs for decades to come, make the UK a clean energy superpower and help deliver our Plan for Change."
