New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Hold-ups to UK electric vehicle charging infrastructure
14/2/2024
8 min read
Feature
Cleaner and greener transport is a crucial part of the UK’s journey to net zero, and electric vehicles (EVs) have a vital role to play in this urgent transition. Melanie Shufflebotham, Chief Operating Officer, Zapmap, looks at the current state of play in the UK EV charging infrastructure and the challenges ahead.
We recently saw the millionth fully electric vehicle (EV) registration in the UK. Over the past two years, one in six of all new car registrations were electric. However, there is some concern that while business demand remains strong, consumer demand may have cooled since the government postponed the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 to 2035. What else is holding people back?
When looking at the reasons consumers give for not moving to an EV, the high up-front cost of the initial purchase and worries about the charging infrastructure are often cited – even if almost nine in 10 drivers who do make the switch are highly satisfied.
In terms of public charging infrastructure, there has been great progress overall. In 2023, the roll-out of the UK’s charging infrastructure has picked up pace, with 45% more chargers by the end of 2023 compared to the end of 2022, and nearly double the number of chargers installed year-on-year.