By ROB HULL, MOTORING EDITOR
Two thirds of electric car drivers say they've had to queue for more than 10 minutes to use a public charging point in the past year due to a lack of infrastructure.
It comes in the wake of the latest industry figures showing a slowdown in new charger installations in 2025, with an average of 50 devices added to the network per day in the first seven months of the year.
This is down from an average of 54 daily installations recorded in 2024.
Direct Line, which polled 1,000 EV owners, found the average delay to use a public charging device is 22 minutes.
However, some said they've had to sit in queues for up to two hours at locations where demand is highest - namely motorway service stations during busy holiday periods.
This is being exacerbated by non-EV drivers parking in charging bays, or owners of plug-in cars taking up the dedicated spaces but not using the devices at the time.
The insurer said the results of the poll highlight the 'significant challenges with public charging infrastructure', despite the Government's promises to fund an expanding network of devices across the country.
Two-thirds of EV owners say they've had to wait for over 10 minutes for a device to become available as Government oversees a slowdown in charger installations in 2025
Almost three quarters (74 per cent) of those surveyed said they have witnessed public charging bays being blocked by cars not plugged in.
Over three in five (64 per cent) also complained of chargers being faulty or out of order, limiting the number of devices available.
Four out of five said when planning longer journeys they look for destinations they can reach without needing to recharge en-route.
Matt Pernet, head of Direct Line Motor Insurance, said: 'Reliable and accessible charging is crucial for confidence and convenience among EV drivers.
'The summer holidays are well under way and these statistics show how many people would have planned their route based on the need to charge their vehicle.
'For EV drivers, being prepared is crucial: plan your route, find where the charging facilities are and consider where they may be busiest.'
Direct Line, which polled 1,000 EV owners, found that the average delay to use a public charging device is 22 minutes
Some EV owners said they've had to sit in queues for up to two hours at locations where demand is highest - namely motorway service stations during busy holiday periods
Rocio Concha, director of policy and advocacy at Which?, said EVs perform well in their tests and owners tell the consumer group they're happy with the vehicles themselves, however, the lack of public charge points is a 'major setback'.
Half of non-EV drivers have also told the watchdog that a poor charging infrastructure is what's most putting them off considering buying an electric car.
'To support the 2030 target for a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, the Government and charge point operators must work together to ensure drivers have confidence they can recharge their EV when they need to and this includes holidays and road trips to attractions like theme parks and other places of interest.
'Until charging is easy and reliable, fewer people will want to make the move to an electric car,' Concha said.
Delvin Lane, the chief executive of public charger network InstaVolt, said: 'We empathise with EV drivers who experience challenges when charging.
'Across the UK there are now more than 84,000 public charging points, with the network growing by around two new chargers every hour.'
Electric car owners say they are forced to wait for chargers because non-EV drivers are parking in charging bays
The Government has pledged to ban the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030.
Last month, ministers announced a new £63million investment package to 'supercharge Britain’s EV infrastructure'.
Some £25million of the fund is to back a scheme for local authorities to install innovative cross-pavement channels to allow EV owners to run charging cables across the footpath without creating a trip hazard.
This will provide those living in terraced houses and properties with no off-street parking access to cheaper domestic energy rates.
They also confirmed that new road signage will be added to point EV drivers in the direction of charging hubs on motorways and A-roads.
With some 84,218 public charging points available across the country to date, Britain needs to add around 130 devices per day to reach a target of having 300,000 public charging points by 2030.
With 50 new chargers being brought into the network per day on average, it would appear that ministers are set to miss out on this target, despite recent claims to the contrary.
The slowdown in charger installations has been highlighted as a reason demand for electric cars has dwindled in recent months.
Drivers have also been put off by the high price of EVs, which are typically more expensive than petrol and diesel alternatives.
With some 84,218 public charging points available across the country to date, Britain needs to add around 130 devices per day to reach a target of having 300,000 public charging points by 2030
The Government this summer announced its new Electric Car Grant to give motorists up to £3,750 to switch to EVs in a desperate bid to boost demand to meet net zero targets.
However, of the 22 models currently confirmed for the scheme, none receive the full £3,750 discount.
Instead, strict sustainability targets set out by ministers - which is based on the emissions output of battery production, assembly of the cars and the carbon demand of the local grid - have limited all qualifying EVs so far to a saving of £1,500.
Chinese brands are unlikely to be eligible for the discounts at all due to the country's reliance on coal-powered energy.
The grant also comes just months after the Chancellor introduced car tax for EVs for the first time ever, charging existing owners £195 per year for the standard rate of Vehicle Excise Duty.
Conservative transport spokesman Richard Holden has accused the Government of 'hammering drivers with tax hikes' and leaving 'Britain parked on the hard shoulder of the global economy'.
He added: 'Labour's net zero car plan is running on empty. Families were told electric cars would be affordable and practical, but with rising costs and nowhere to charge them, that's clearly nonsense.'
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: 'We're investing over £4billion to accelerate the switch to EVs.
'With a further £63million confirmed in July for charging infrastructure and nearly 20,000 public chargers added to the network last year, there's never been a better time to switch.'