The number of public electric vehicle chargers in the UK has grown by nearly half, as more cars converting to eco-friendly options has raised demand for power points.
As of April, there were 59,670 public charging devices installed in the UK and this was boosted by the Department for Transport adding nearly 20,000 more.
The number of total charging devices increased in every region and country of the UK between January to March 2024, according to the latest stats.
The North East had the greatest increase at 21.7 per cent, while London had the lowest increase, of 5.1 per cent.
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LEVI fund gives local authorities money to install chargers
PAAcross the South East it benefited from 979 new devices being installed followed by London at 953.
John Lewis, CEO of char.gy, said: "We're delighted by the progress outlined in the recent DfT report, which reveals a robust 49 per cent year-on-year growth, resulting in nearly 60,000 charge points now installed.
“Particularly encouraging is the expansion of the on-street network, which has now reached 22,000 charge points, accounting for over a third of all charging solutions.
“Given that 99 per cent of UK journeys average less than 100 miles, the availability of charging solutions near people's homes is crucial. It's exciting to see the network's growth beginning to reflect the convenience necessary to drive the transition to electric vehicles."
Lewis added that while the report showed regions that still require “substantial” development, the introduction of the LEVI Fund “positions the UK well”.
The fund gives local authorities a set amount to install EV chargers across its region to help boost numbers and make charge points more accessible to drivers.
The latest funding round saw an additional 44 councils from Torbay to Tees Valley receive money to install EV charging points.
The acceleration of electric chargers forms part of the Government’s mandate which requires 80 per cent of new cars and 70 per cent of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2035.
Lewis commented: “We are poised to fuel the next crucial stage of growth, further enhancing public on-street charging and addressing rural and traditionally underserved regions.
“At char.gy, we are dedicated to supporting this rollout and enabling the switch to electric for all, particularly the 40 per cent of households without driveways.
“We eagerly anticipate collaborating with our partners in local government to make this next stage a reality."
There are now over one million fully electric cars on UK roads and a further 620,000 plug-in hybrids with more drivers tempted to switch over, but more support measures needed.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
nearly 60,000 chargers on UK roads
PAAs part of the LEVI fund, the Government approved the spending of over £185million on electric vehicles chargers.
