UK will need six-fold increase in electric vehicle charging points by 2020
Study reports insufficient electric vehicle charging points by 2020
It is estimated that there will be over 1 million electric vehicles on UK roads by the study by Emu Analytics, finding that diesel cars will be replaced by greener alternatives.
The study estimated a requirement of 100,000 electric vehicle charging points to cope with 1 million vehicles. However, there are currently only 16,500 in the UK. See our charging map to locate your nearest charging points.
The report found that only 3% of supermarkets have electric vehicle charging points. Asda has the most with 19% of its stores providing them. However Tesco, the biggest retailer in the UK has a paltry 0.4% of its stores with chargers.
Lidl provides the most rapid chargers with 11 stores having them. Rapid chargers can give a 85% charge in around 30 minutes.
There are currently 1,500 electric vehicle rapid chargers in the UK with space to charge 3,400 vehicles. This compares to 9,000 petrol/diesel stations with multiple pumps that take minutes to fill up the vehicles.
If the electric vehicle charging network does not keep pace with the growth in electric vehicles it will effectively block the growth. The study found that the UK will need six times as many charging points to keep pace with this growth.
Richard Vilton, chief executive of Emu Analytics said: “Ultimately the UK, by investing in the right way early, has the opportunity to be a global leader in electric vehicles, benefiting businesses, towns, cities and communities by preparing for a sustainable future.”
