UK electric car charger rollout slows amid worries over EV switch | Electric, hybrid and low-emission cars
The rollout of electric vehicle chargers in the UK has been significantly reduced in 2025 due to investors’ concerns about a slower-than-expected transition to cleaner battery-powered vehicles.
According to Zapmap data, which tracks charger installations, the number of chargers installed in the UK at the end of November was 87,200, an increase of 13,500 compared to the end of 2024.
This represented the lowest number of new chargers installed in the UK since 2022, putting the industry on a growth path of under 20%, down from 37% the previous year. This would be the slowest annual growth in the last decade since installations began to accelerate.
The number of electric cars sold is still growing rapidly, accounting for 23% of UK sales in the first 11 months of 2025; At the same point last year, the rate was 19%. However, growth was not as rapid as previously expected. While some manufacturers have slowed their transition from gasoline to electricity, some investors in charging infrastructure have also slowed down.
Carmakers have persuaded the UK government to weaken electric car sales targets despite warnings from the charging industry that lower sales would jeopardize investment.
Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, a think tank, said the slowdown in charger installations this year was “no surprise” given the UK government’s “rather mixed messages on electric vehicles”, including a new pay-per-kilometre tax on electric cars from 2028 announced in last month’s budget.
“Weakening the zero-emission vehicle mandate could encourage the sale of plug-in hybrids instead of electric vehicles,” he said. “And while this doesn’t change the fact that EVs will be significantly cheaper to drive, a 3p per mile tax on EVs risks damaging consumer confidence. All of this could significantly slow EV sales, which could damage business confidence and slow investment in the public charging infrastructure this country needs.”
At the end of November, there were 48,100 slow chargers, up 15% over the year. The number of ultra-fast chargers used for fast charging supplements on long trips increased by 39% to approximately 9,800.
Quick Guide
Electric vehicle charging speeds
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Not all chargers are created equal
More and more people are buying electric cars and having to deal with charging for the first time. However, not all chargers are created equal and the multitude of units can cause confusion.
Charging speeds are measured by power output in kilowatts (kW), while battery capacity is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). For example, the battery capacity of the Nissan Leaf is 39kWh, and the battery capacity of the Tesla Model Y is 60kWh.
Recharge times vary depending on battery size: Divide battery size by power to get a rough idea of how many hours it will take to charge. (For example, a 60 kWh battery lasts about three hours on a 22 kW charger.) The faster the charge, the more it costs.
Slow: up to 8kW
It’s common in homes, street chargers, and places where cars hang out, like parking lots or hotels. It is suitable for charging overnight. Plugging the UK three-pin plug into the home mains will provide approximately 2.3kW of power; but this is not recommended.
Fast: 8kW to 49kW
It is found in urban areas such as supermarkets, shopping malls or parking lots. It is capable of charging a smaller battery in a few hours.
Fast: 50kW to 150kW
It is often found near major roads for journey charging, but is also increasingly found in places with short waiting times, such as supermarkets or gyms. 50kW can deliver an 80% charge in less than an hour.
Ultrafast: 150kW and above
Most chargers installed at motorway services or private charging centers are now at least 150 kW. Most new cars can now handle 150kW and many can charge at speeds in excess of 300kW, providing a range of hundreds of kilometers in around 10 minutes.
Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, a lobby group for the charging industry, said slow chargers used for cheaper overnight charging were fewer installations than the industry would like.
“Charge point operators in the market are facing rapidly rising costs, impacting the pace of rollout in some of the more commercially challenging regions, while grid connections continue to hinder installations,” he said.
Some analysts believe the UK’s charger launch is on track. Public charging supply across Great Britain remains 1.5 years ahead of demand, according to analysis conducted in September. Cenexis a non-profit research organization. However, for longer journeys, fast chargers on motorways are much more advanced: Cenex said existing charging points could keep up with demand for the next six years without needing to add more.
Delayed local electric vehicle infrastructure (Levi) funding for municipalities will start arriving in bulk in 2026 and 2027, helping to ramp up installations again, Read said.
He said: “To ensure we stay on track as we make this transition, we need government support to reduce the cost burden affecting drive prices and speed to market, and to remove bottlenecks such as connecting to the grid.”
Despite the UK’s progress in charger installations, regional differences remain large. Northern Ireland, the poorest part of the UK, has just 39 public chargers per 100,000 people, while London has 301, according to Zapmap data last updated in October. In the year to October, Northern Ireland, the East Midlands and North-East England were the regions with the slowest per capita charger installations.
Zapmap chief operating officer Melanie Shufflebotham said there is “still strong growth in ultra-fast charging.”
“Charge point operators are facing challenges as the tender and commercial contract process for the Levy fund is taking longer than expected, and in parallel there are also concerns about timely access to grid connections,” he added.
