DfT analysis highlights growth in public EV charging network

Fresh analysis from the Department for Transport (DfT) suggests the UK now has significantly more public electric vehicle charging points than traditional fuel pumps.

The findings combine information from three different sources: official government statistics on public EV charging infrastructure, data from the Petrol Retailers Association, and research carried out by Deloitte for the RAC Foundation.

According to the latest government figures, there were 116,052 public EV chargers available across the UK at the beginning of the year.

As there is no single national data source for fuel pump numbers, the DfT used estimates based on the number of petrol stations and the average number of pumps at each site.

Using Petrol Retailers Association figures showing there are 8,329 filling stations nationwide, and applying an average of 7.3 fuelling positions per site, the DfT estimated there are around 60,802 fuel pumps across the country.

The comparison indicates that public EV charging devices now outnumber fuel pumps by a considerable margin, reflecting the rapid expansion of charging infrastructure as electric vehicle ownership continues to grow.

Vicky Edmonds said: “This milestone shows we’re genuinely moving in the right direction and building the charging network that drivers need to make the switch to electric with confidence.

“More public chargers than fuel pumps is not just a nice benchmark, it reflects huge progress on the ground that EV drivers are feeling.”

Research from EVA England found that 69% of EV drivers believe the charging network has improved over the past year.

Edmonds added: “We shouldn’t stop here. Ensuring reliable, affordable and convenient charging where people live, work and travel is key to helping even more drivers make the transition smoothly.”