Charging Infrastructure Expansion in the UK: What It Means for Electric Van Owners  

The EV charging infrastructure in the UK is increasing rapidly, but is it fast enough to reach the government target of 300,000 public chargers by 2030? The UK Electric Fleets Coalition (UKEFC), a leading group of UK businesses which includes the four biggest fleet operators, published a 2023 Policy Paper in November 2023. 

Their top concerns included the lack of on-street and kerbside charging infrastructure for ‘take home fleets’, which generally consist of electric vans. The good news is that public charging points are currently available on UK motorways and major A roads. We discuss charging infrastructure in the UK and what it means for electric van owners.

The Current State of EV Charging Infrastructure in the UK 

Zapmap is the best source of information for the state of EV charging infrastructure in the UK and trusted by the UK government. Their statistics indicate that at the end of December 2023, there were 53,906 public electric vehicle charging points across the UK in 31,056 charging locations. Over the year from December 2022 to December 2023, the total number of charging devices increased by 45%. They further highlight the following statistics as of 31 December 2023:

680,000+ Estimated number of home and workplace charge points

10,497 Number of rapid and ultra-rapid devices publicly available  

34.4% Percentage of national charging devices available in Greater London. 

Which charging network has the most charge points in the UK? According to Zapmap, the honour belongs to ubitricity with its network of lamppost chargers.   

Technology Trends Shaping the Future of EV Charging Infrastructure  

As is the nature of digital technologies, it speeds onward while the general population struggles to catch up. EV charging infrastructure developments are already bypassing manual plugging with technology such as Selfplug® by the French startup Gulplug, electric roads in Sweden, and wireless charging trials in Nottingham funded by Innovate UK. 
High energy costs are influencing the roll-out of electric vehicles. The UK government is funding projects attempting to commercialise bidirectional EV charging. Why is this important? Also called Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology, it will allow families and companies to use the energy stored in EV batteries to power their homes and businesses or sell it back to the grid.

Upcoming EV Charging Projects in the UK  

The UK government committed £1.6 billion in 2022 for EV charging projects. They aim to provide a convenient, affordable and reliable public charging network. ChargeUK, the voice of the UK’s EV charging industry, published a policy paper on 29 November 2023 about accelerating the roll-out of public charge points. 

Ian Johnston, chair of ChargeUK, said: “Our members are already putting charge points in the ground at record pace and will spend £6 billion before 2030 on ensuring the UK has the right charging solutions in the right place….but we want to go further and faster to make the UK the best place in the world to drive and charge an EV.” 

A family-run motorway services business on the M74 in Lanarkshire is not waiting for the establishment of a suitable grid connection. They installed a first-of-its-kind hydrogen-powered generator connected to EV chargers at their service station.  

How Will the Expansion of Charging Infrastructure Benefit Electric Van Owners?

The future of EV charging infrastructure in the UK is exciting! Consumer confidence in electric vans and other EVs will increase as charging infrastructure expands across the region. Business owners will transition to electric vans because they know there is sufficient charging infrastructure on their routes, no matter where they travel in the UK. Their fleet drivers will also be comfortable driving EVs when they know on-street and kerbside charging infrastructure is available at home. 

Through the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, which came into force on 24 November 2023, the UK Government attempts to ensure EV owners have a consistent and positive experience at public charge points. It all contributes to a brighter, more sustainable future.  

The Maxus electric commercial vans range has an EV solution for every need, from tippers to chassis cabs and crew vans. Buy Maxus and benefit from our market-leading battery technology that reduces charging time and energy consumption but lets you go the distance with the EV charging infrastructure available in the UK. Contact us today.