Shortage of public chargers threatens electric vehicle sales, industry groups warn

Demand for electric vehicles is being constrained by a shortage of public charging points, industry groups and insurers warned, with recent installation rates far below the pace needed to meet government targets.

Data from industry tracker Zapmap showed just 1,234 public chargers were added in the UK in August 2025, averaging close to 40 a day and well under the roughly 130 a day that would be required to reach the government target of 300,000 public points by 2030. Zapmap also reported that 11,464 charging points have been installed so far this year, an average of 47 a day and down from about 54 a day in the same period last year, suggesting the rollout is slowing rather than accelerating.

The shortfall has particular consequences for drivers who cannot charge at home because they lack off‑street parking. Industry groups said those drivers face a combination of higher costs and longer waits for public charging, factors that discourage switching from petrol and diesel cars.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said concern about the ability to charge affordably wherever and whenever needed is one of the main barriers to greater EV adoption, especially for drivers who rely on public charging. "The Government's £63m investment to support at‑home charging for households without driveways aims to address this and further action to accelerate rollout of infrastructure across the UK would make EV ownership an attractive option for everyone, no matter where they live," a spokesman said.

Commercial directors at charging firms voiced similar concerns. Tom Pakenham of Hive said the shift to electric vehicle ownership is progressing, "but the shortage of reliable and affordable public charging points in some places remains a real challenge, particularly for people in cities without access to off‑street parking." He said uneven availability and reliability of public chargers are holding back broader uptake.

There are about 85,163 public charging points across the UK, according to Zapmap, but public charging is frequently more expensive than home charging and can involve waits at busy sites. A survey by insurer Direct Line last month found drivers waited an average of 22 minutes to use a public charging point, with some reporting queues of up to two hours at high‑demand locations such as motorway service areas during busy holiday periods. The insurer said the results underscore "the significant challenges with public charging infrastructure."

Ministers have sought to address the problem. The government announced a £63 million package this summer to support at‑home charging for households without driveways, and a Department for Transport spokesman said the government was investing more than £4 billion to accelerate the switch to electric vehicles. The package is aimed at funding on‑street and home solutions for drivers who cannot install chargers on private property.

Despite those measures, analysts said more coordinated efforts will be required to close the gap between current rollout rates and the infrastructure needed to support rapid EV adoption. Industry groups and charging operators have called for clearer timelines, streamlined planning and permitting processes, and incentives to encourage private investment in charging hubs, particularly in urban areas and on key trunk routes.

Automakers and consumer groups have also pointed to the cost differential between home and public charging as a barrier for drivers who cannot install domestic chargers. Public charging tariffs, higher operating costs at fast chargers and the variability of pricing systems can make electricity at public points significantly more expensive, eroding some of the running‑cost advantage of EV ownership for drivers who lack access to home charge points.

The interaction of slower infrastructure growth and rising EV sales remains a critical policy challenge as the UK pursues net‑zero targets. Industry figures said without an acceleration in the deployment of affordable, reliable public chargers, adoption among households without off‑street parking will lag behind those able to charge at home, potentially slowing overall market growth.

Ministers and industry representatives said they would continue to monitor rollout performance and work on measures to boost installations, while consumer groups urged clearer protections and pricing transparency for users of public chargers. The pace and location of future deployments will determine whether the UK can meet its stated charging‑point targets and maintain momentum in the transition to electric vehicles.