UK electric car charging point rollout goes into reverse as experts warn of stark North-South divide

By ELLA MANNING

Britain’s rollout of electric car charging points has gone into reverse – with only 13,469 installed since the start of the year.

That puts Britain on course to install fewer chargers in 2025 than in 2024 or 2023, figures from industry group Zapmap claim, fuelling fears the electric car revolution targeted by ministers in their push for Net Zero has stalled.

Experts also warned of a ‘stark North-South divide’, with Westminster having more public charging points than Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle combined.

It follows a fresh tax on eco-friendly cars to claw back lost fuel duty revenue amid the move to electric vehicles. 

In last month’s Budget, Rachel Reeves unveiled plans for a pay-per-mile electric vehicle excise duty of 3p per mile, and 1.5p for hybrids.

Labour has made the transition to electric vehicles a key part of its green agenda with a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars due in 2030.

Out of juice: Britain is on course to install fewer chargers in 2025 than in 2024 or 2023 fuelling fears the planned electric car revolution has stalled.

But critics argue not enough has been done to bolster the charging network – fuelling so-called ‘range anxiety’ among motorists worried about where they can plug in to top up their batteries.

Vicky Read, chief executive of industry group Charge UK, said on-street EV points ‘have rolled out slower than we would have liked in 2025’ due to delays in Government funding.

She warned that operators face ‘rapidly rising costs’ which has held back installations, adding: ‘To ensure we stay on track as we make this transition, we need the Government’s support to reduce the cost burden.’

The Zapmap figures show only 370 public charging points were installed in November, bringing this year’s total to 13,469 – or an average of 1,224 per month. 

This is down from 19,834 in 2024 and 16,602 in 2023, an average of 1,653 and 1,384 a month, respectively.

Ginny Buckley, chief executive of EV buying and advice site Electrifying.com, said: ‘We clearly need the rollout of EV charging infrastructure to continue – but we have to move beyond a simple race for bigger numbers.

‘Our analysis of charging data lays bare a stark North-South divide in charging. Every one of the UK’s top ten charging hotspots is in London and the South. 

Without a more joined-up approach, the EV transition will be easy for some – and out of reach for others.’