How many EV charging stations are in the UK?

The UK now has over 70,000 public EV charging devices across more than 35,000 locations nationwide. That's significantly more charging points than petrol stations, and the network continues growing at an impressive rate—a new charging device is installed roughly every 45 minutes.

If you're considering buying an electric vehicle or you're a current EV driver wondering whether charging infrastructure can support your needs, the numbers tell an encouraging story. The UK's public charging network has grown by 27% in the past year alone, with robust expansion in rapid and ultra-rapid charging.

This guide provides current statistics on the UK's charging infrastructure, analyses growth trends, identifies coverage gaps, and demonstrates how networks like Zest are addressing these gaps through strategic expansion.

How Many EV Charging Stations Are in the UK Right Now?

Let's start with the current numbers, which are updated monthly as the network continues to expand.

Latest figures (Q1 2025):

As of early 2025, the UK's public charging infrastructure comprises approximately 70,000-75,000 charging devices at more than 35,000 distinct charging locations. This network consists of roughly 15,000 rapid chargers (50kW and above), 3,500 ultra-rapid chargers (150kW and above), and around 10,000 on-street residential chargers specifically designed for homes without off-street parking.

What these numbers mean in practice:

The UK now has more public charging locations than petrol stations in most regions. For context, the UK has approximately 8,400 petrol stations, compared to over 35,000 public charging locations. The ratio currently stands at roughly one charging device for every 20-25 electric vehicles on UK roads, and this ratio continues improving as infrastructure expands faster than EV adoption.

The network has grown by 26% year-over-year, indicating that the infrastructure is expanding considerably faster than EV sales growth. New charging devices are being installed at an average rate of one every 45 minutes across the UK.

These statistics are sourced from ZapMap, the UK's most comprehensive charging location database, which aggregates data from all major networks and is updated monthly.

How Fast Is the UK Charging Network Growing?

The growth trajectory over recent years has demonstrated sustained and significant expansion, driven by both private investment and government support.

Year-on-Year Growth Statistics

The growth rate has been consistently strong, with 2023 seeing particularly aggressive expansion. The slight moderation in 2024's growth rate reflects a maturing market rather than any slowdown—the absolute number of new devices added actually increased.

What's Driving This Growth?

Several factors combine to fuel the network's rapid expansion.

Government funding plays a significant role. The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme provides £381 million to local authorities specifically for charging infrastructure, particularly on-street residential charging. This addresses one of the most significant coverage gaps.

Private investment exceeds £2 billion, including support from the government-backed Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF). Zest, for example, received backing from CIIF to support our expansion plans through 2027.

Network operators are scaling operations substantially. Established operators are expanding their existing networks, while new entrants bring additional capacity and competition. Zest is adding over 100 locations annually, focusing on areas where coverage gaps exist.

Retail and hospitality adoption continues to accelerate. Supermarkets, shopping centres, hotels, and restaurants increasingly view charging infrastructure as an essential amenity. Partnerships with major retailers, from Tesco to independent operators, are deploying thousands of new charging points at destinations where drivers naturally spend time.

Workplace charging is expanding as employers recognise EV infrastructure as an employee benefit and sustainability commitment. Many organisations are installing charging as part of net-zero strategies.

Rapid Charging Growth: 

Rapid and ultra-rapid devices are growing at a rate of 35% annually—faster than the overall network growth rate.

This focuses particularly on destination charging (retail, hospitality) and en-route charging (motorway services, roadside hubs). The average charging speed across the network is increasing, meaning not only are there more chargers, but they are also delivering faster charging experiences.

Regional Installation Rates

Installation rates vary considerably across UK regions, reflecting both population density and investment priorities:

• London: Approximately 150 new devices monthly
• England (excluding London): Approximately 350 new devices monthly
• Scotland: Approximately 80 new devices monthly
• Wales: Approximately 45 new devices monthly
• Northern Ireland: Approximately 20 new devices monthly

London's high installation rate reflects both population density and ambitious local authority targets. Scotland's strong performance relative to population demonstrates effective government policy. Wales and Northern Ireland lag on absolute numbers but are making steady progress.

Government Targets and Progress

The UK government has set a target of 300,000 public charging points by 2030. The current growth trajectory suggests that this target is achievable with sustained investment and policy support. However, reaching this ambitious goal requires a focus on specific areas: on-street residential charging, rural community charging, and the completion of ultra-rapid networks.

What This Growth Means for Drivers

From a practical driving perspective, finding charging locations becomes easier month by month. Increased competition among operators is improving pricing transparency and driving innovation in user experience. Faster charging speeds are becoming more widely available rather than confined to premium motorway locations.

Most significantly, range anxiety is decreasing as coverage improves. Whilst early EV adopters needed to plan carefully around charging availability, current infrastructure supports more spontaneous travel patterns for most journeys.

Where Are UK Charging Stations Located?

National statistics tell only part of the story. Regional distribution reveals significant variation in charging infrastructure coverage.

Regional Distribution (Devices per 100,000 Population)

Coverage metrics per capita provide fairer comparison across regions with different population densities.

Best Covered Regions:

London leads with 150-160 charging devices per 100,000 residents. This reflects aggressive local authority targets, higher EV adoption rates, and dense urban environment. Scotland demonstrates strong coverage at 85-95 devices per 100,000 people, supported by effective Scottish Government policy. South East England shows 70-80 devices per 100,000, benefiting from prosperity and EV uptake. South West England provides 65-75 devices per 100,000, with particularly strong coverage in Cornwall and Devon driven by tourism infrastructure.

Adequate Coverage:

Several regions offer reasonable coverage that continues improving. East of England provides 55-65 devices per 100,000 residents. North West England offers 50-60 devices per 100,000, with Manchester and Liverpool particularly well-served. Wales shows 50-60 devices per 100,000, though rural areas remain challenging.

Underserved Regions:

Some areas significantly lag behind national averages. North East England shows only 40-50 devices per 100,000 people, though Zest's partnerships in the region are addressing this gap. Yorkshire & Humber provides 40-50 devices per 100,000, with particular gaps in rural Yorkshire. West Midlands offers 45-55 devices per 100,000 despite Birmingham's size. East Midlands shows 40-50 devices per 100,000. Northern Ireland significantly lags at 35-45 devices per 100,000 residents.

Urban vs Rural Disparity

The most significant coverage gap isn't regional—it's the urban-rural divide.

Urban areas typically provide one charger for every 15-20 electric vehicles, with good availability and choice of charging speeds. Rural areas show one charger for every 35-50 EVs, with longer distances between charging points and fewer rapid charging options. Market towns show improving but inconsistent coverage, with some well-served and others overlooked.

Specific Coverage Gaps

Motorway Services:

Motorway charging is generally well-covered, with most services now offering 4-12 rapid chargers. Ultra-rapid charging hubs are expanding along major routes. However, availability during peak travel periods remains challenging—the infrastructure exists, but demand sometimes exceeds capacity.

Residential On-Street Charging:

This represents the most significant nationwide coverage gap. Only approximately 10,000 on-street chargers exist across the UK, yet 40% of UK homes lack off-street parking. LEVI funding explicitly addresses this, but progress remains slow compared to the scale of need.

On-street charging presents unique challenges: street furniture planning permissions, electricity grid connections, equitable distribution across neighbourhoods, and ensuring reliable operation. Networks like Zest are working with local authorities to deploy on-street solutions, but this requires sustained long-term investment.

Rural Communities:

Rural areas face significant charging gaps due to longer distances between charging points, reliance on destination charging rather than dedicated infrastructure, and the need for community charging hubs that are often absent.

North Yorkshire provides a good example of addressing rural charging through strategic hub placement in market towns and tourist destinations.

Social Housing:

Social housing represents a critical coverage gap with equity implications. A minimal charging provision exists in social housing developments. This creates concerning equity issues for EV adoption—lower-income households are unable to access charging infrastructure. Government and local authorities recognise this as a priority, but practical solutions remain elusive.

Where Investment Is Flowing

Current investment concentrates in several key areas:

Retail parks and shopping centres receive substantial investment, with charging seen as a customer amenity. Supermarkets are deploying thousands of chargers through partnerships with networks. Hotels and hospitality sites increasingly install charging as a standard guest facility. Park-and-ride facilities receive government and local authority funding for charging. Residential streets benefit from LEVI-funded on-street charging schemes.

This investment pattern means destination charging is expanding faster than pure roadside infrastructure.

Zest's Role in UK Charging Growth

Understanding where Zest fits within the national network helps contextualise our contribution to addressing coverage gaps.

Zest by the Numbers

Zest currently operates 1,300+ charging devices across the UK, positioning us among the UK's top charging network operators. We're one of the fastest-growing investor-backed operators, adding 100+ locations annually through strategic expansion.

Our network composition spans the full range of charging speeds from 7kW to 300kW, with all connector types available across locations. We strategically focus on destination charging (2+ hour dwell time locations) and community charging hubs, particularly residential on-street solutions.

Where Zest Is Expanding

Our expansion strategy deliberately targets underserved areas and addresses specific coverage gaps.

Urban On-Street Charging (Major Focus):

This represents our primary expansion area because it addresses the UK's most significant coverage gap. In London, we're deploying 2,500 chargers in Hackney, with additional projects in Brent and Enfield. Portsmouth receives 300+ on-street chargers through our partnership with the city council. We're expanding in Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester community locations, focusing on residential streets where off-street parking is unavailable.

Destination Charging:

Retail parks form a core part of our network, including major installations at Metrocentre, Merry Hill, and Chantry Place Norwich. Food and beverage partnerships include Starbucks drive-through locations and other hospitality sites. University campuses like Warwick receive substantial installations (78 spaces at Warwick). Hotels and holiday accommodation increasingly partner with Zest for guest charging facilities.

Roadside Hubs:

Ultra-rapid charging hubs deliver 150-300kW charging at strategic A-road locations. Facilities with 10-16 charging bays support high-throughput requirements. Bolton, Leicester, and Birmingham hubs demonstrate our roadside hub approach.

Regional Priorities

Our expansion deliberately addresses geographical gaps identified in the data above.

We're filling the Midlands gap through installations in Birmingham, Nottingham, and Leicester. North Yorkshire community hubs in Whitby, Wesham, and market towns address rural charging needs. South coast expansion focuses on Portsmouth and Kent, where residential on-street demand is high. Welsh market entry through Newport represents our first significant Welsh presence.

Our Approach to Coverage Gaps

Zest's strategy deliberately targets underserved communities rather than simply following existing demand. We partner with local authorities specifically for residential charging needs, bringing expertise in deployment and long-term operation. Data-driven site selection identifies where infrastructure will deliver maximum benefit. We commit to 15-year operating agreements, ensuring sustained reliability rather than short-term opportunistic deployments.

Our backing from the government-sponsored Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund ensures financial stability for sustained expansion through 2027 and beyond. This long-term capital enables us to deploy infrastructure in areas where commercial returns take longer to materialise but where community need is greatest.

Find Zest charging locations across the UK to see our current coverage.

The UK Charging Network Landscape

The UK charging market features diverse operators with different strategic focuses, creating a comprehensive national network through their combined efforts.

Multiple charging networks operate across the UK, ranging from established operators with thousands of devices to specialised providers focusing on specific charging needs. Networks vary by strategy—some concentrate on rapid motorway charging, others on destination charging at retail locations, and others on residential on-street solutions.

The market is seeing consolidation as the sector matures, with mergers and acquisitions likely to continue. This consolidation generally benefits drivers through improved reliability, standardized user experience, and stronger financial backing for network maintenance.

Different networks serve complementary roles:

• Rapid and ultra-rapid specialists focus on motorway services and en-route charging
• Destination networks like Zest concentrate on retail, hospitality, and community locations
• On-street residential specialists address the urban parking challenge
• Workplace providers serve business and commercial premises
• Forecourt operators integrate charging with traditional fuel retail

This diversity ensures the UK benefits from varied approaches to charging infrastructure, with different operators addressing different aspects of the charging ecosystem. Competition drives innovation in user experience, pricing, and service quality.

The Reality of Public Charging in 2025

Looking beyond raw statistics, what does current infrastructure mean for everyday EV drivers?

Current State of UK Charging

Public charging is now widely available across most of the UK. The network density means that finding a nearby charging location rarely presents difficulty. However, finding an available charger at peak times can still prove challenging at popular places.

Rapid charging is well-established on main routes, with most motorway services offering multiple rapid chargers. Journey planning for long-distance travel typically identifies several charging options along any major route. Destination charging is growing fastest, with retail, hospitality, and leisure venues increasingly offering charging as a standard amenity.

Residential on-street charging is improving but remains patchy. London and some cities show good progress, whilst many areas still lack adequate on-street provision. This remains the most significant barrier to EV adoption for households without off-street parking.

Practical Implications for Drivers

Range anxiety is genuinely decreasing as coverage improves. Early EV adopters needed careful planning around charging availability. Current infrastructure supports more spontaneous travel for most journeys, particularly in well-covered regions.

Most regular journeys are easily covered by existing network capacity. Competition among operators is driving improvements in pricing and transparency. Reliability is improving significantly as professional operators replace early independent installations with properly maintained, supported infrastructure.

Long trips still benefit from planning, but multiple options usually exist for any route. Apps like ZapMap, Electroverse, and Zest provide real-time availability data that is more useful than simply knowing where chargers are located.

Looking Ahead

Coverage will continue improving rapidly through 2025 and beyond. Industry focus is shifting from pure quantity to availability and reliability—ensuring chargers work when needed matters more than simply having many chargers.

Faster charging is becoming standard rather than a premium feature. What was considered "rapid" charging five years ago (50kW) is now the baseline expectation, with ultra-rapid (150-300kW) increasingly common. Prices are stabilising as the market matures, with competition preventing excessive pricing whilst ensuring sustainable business models for operators.

The next phase of infrastructure development will emphasise filling specific gaps—on-street residential, rural communities, and social housing—rather than simply adding capacity in already well-served areas.

Where UK Charging Infrastructure Is Headed

Government targets and industry trajectory both point toward sustained, significant growth through the remainder of this decade.

Government Targets

The UK government has committed to 300,000 public charging points by 2030—more than quadruple the current number. This ambitious target focuses particularly on rapid charging expansion and on-street residential provision, recognizing these as critical for mass EV adoption.

The £381 million LEVI funding scheme supports local authorities in deploying on-street charging. The Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund provides long-term capital for private operators to deploy infrastructure in commercially challenging but strategically important locations.

Industry Trajectory

Current growth rates, if sustained, will meet or exceed government targets. Private investment exceeding £2 billion demonstrates industry confidence in the EV transition. Network operators including Zest are committing to substantial expansion plans backed by long-term capital.

The trajectory suggests the UK will have one of Europe's most comprehensive charging networks, supporting the government's 2030 target for new petrol and diesel car sales to end.

Priority Areas for Development

Four areas require particular focus to achieve comprehensive national coverage:

• On-street residential charging represents the single biggest infrastructure gap. Current coverage serves less than 5% of need. LEVI funding addresses this, but the scale of required investment is substantial. Innovative solutions including shared community hubs and smart charging management will be necessary.
  
  
• Rural community charging requires strategic hub placement in market towns and villages. Reliance on destination charging rather than dedicated roadside infrastructure makes sense in lower-density areas. Partnerships between operators and local authorities prove essential for rural deployment.
  
  
• Social housing provision demands specific policy attention and funding mechanisms. Market-driven deployment won't adequately serve social housing without directed intervention. This presents critical equity considerations for ensuring EV benefits extend across all income levels.
  
  
• Ultra-rapid network completion along major routes will enhance confidence in long-distance travel. While current motorway coverage is good, capacity needs to grow as EV adoption accelerates. Hub-style installations with 10+ ultra-rapid chargers prevent congestion during peak travel periods.

Zest's Contribution to 2030 Targets

Our roadmap commits to deploying over 1,000 additional charging devices by 2027, with a focus on residential and destination locations in currently underserved regions. This expansion concentrates on the priority areas identified above—on-street residential, community hubs, and regional gap-filling.

Our 15-year commitment model ensures infrastructure reliability through 2040 and beyond, providing the sustained operation that makes EV adoption practical for all driver types.

The combination of government support, private investment, and strategic deployment by operators like Zest suggests that the UK's charging infrastructure will successfully support the transition to electric mobility.

Finding Charging When You Need It

Understanding national statistics helps contextualise infrastructure availability, but practical charging depends on real-time information.

The best approach combines multiple tools: ZapMap provides the UK's most comprehensive database of charging locations across all networks. Roaming apps, such as Octopus Electroverse, offer payment access across multiple networks. Network-specific apps like Zest's provide the most accurate real-time availability for their own infrastructure, along with the best pricing and direct support access.

If you're new to public EV charging, our comprehensive guide on how to use EV charging stations in the UK explains the entire process step-by-step. Understanding payment methods for public charging helps ensure smooth charging experiences.

The UK's charging network has reached a scale and maturity that genuinely supports widespread EV adoption. While gaps remain—particularly in on-street residential provision—the trajectory is clear: comprehensive, reliable charging infrastructure is becoming a reality across the UK.

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