UK Public EV Chargepoints Rise 23% Fueling Clean Transport Boost

The UK's public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure experienced significant growth over the past year, with a 23% increase nationally and over 15,000 new chargers added, bringing the total to 86,021 across Britain. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers capable of charging a car to 80% in 20 to 40 minutes now number more than 17,000, enhancing convenience for EV drivers on longer journeys. Regions such as Yorkshire and the Humber, Wales, the West Midlands, and the East of England saw particularly strong growth, with Wales reporting a 25.7% rise and the East of England a 25% increase in public chargepoints. This expansion is part of the UK government's £381 million "Plan for Change," which includes the £650 million Electric Car Grant providing discounts of up to £3,750 to over 25,000 drivers, alongside efforts to reduce regulatory barriers for renters and residents without driveways to install home chargers. The government aims to deliver 100,000 more chargepoints nationwide to support the transition to cleaner transport and foster British industry and jobs. Industry leaders emphasize the importance of accessible and affordable public charging networks to meet the needs of the growing EV population.