The number of on-street charging devices increased 36% to 12,009 in 2022, up from 8,842 devices at the end of 2021, according to figures published by Zap-Map, a leading charge point mapping service in the UK.
Over 100 high-speed charging hubs were opened for EV drivers in the outgoing year, the company said.
While London and the South East retain the top spots in terms of the highest number of charging points, 2022 saw thousands of chargers installed up and down the UK.
The West Midlands saw the most significant rate of growth last year, with the total number of chargers in the region growing by 52% over the course of the year, increasing from 1,854 devices to 2,816. Of these, 223 were ultra-rapid devices, with 419 rapid, 1,789 fast, and 385 slow devices.
Wales also saw significant growth, with 1,039 devices operational at the end of 2021, and 1,473 by the end of December, an increase of 42%, the company said.
Despite this, Greater London saw the highest overall number of devices installed in 2022, increasing from 9,160 devices at the end of 2021 to 11,559 at the end of December, an increase of 26%.
“Over the next few years, the UK will need a mix of charging solutions to suit a wide variety of use cases,” said Zap-Map Co-founder & COO Melanie Shufflebotham. “Focusing solely on the number of charging devices masks the different types of charging available, what they’re useful for, and which ones are needed where.”
The new charging growth figures come alongside record electric car sales in December, which saw more than 42,000 pure-electric cars sold, overtaking petrol for the first time. Satisfaction levels for EV drivers also remain high, with Zap-Map’s latest EV Charging Survey showing 89% satisfaction for pure-electric vehicles, higher than 71% for petrol and diesel, the company said.
As of the end of December, Zap-Map’s data shows that the number of ultra-rapid charge points grew almost 80% in 2022. These high-speed devices – which cater to drivers travelling long journeys and looking to charge as quickly as possible – increased from 1,290 at the end of 2021 to 2,295.
The growth in ultra-rapid charge points is largely due to networks such as MFG EV Power, Osprey and Gridserve Electric Highway, which are rolling out high-speed charging ‘hubs’ of around six devices across the country.
Indeed, 2022 saw 106 new high-speed charging hubs – of four or more rapid/ultra-rapid devices – open across the country. This represented a 56% increase in the number of high-speed charging hubs open to EV drivers, with 189 locations at the end of 2021 and 295 as of December 2022.
“2022 was a record year for both EV sales and public charging rollout. With more than 8,800 net new chargers installed, a 30% increase, the UK’s network is keeping good pace with the take up of cleaner, greener cars,” Shufflebotham said. “Despite the challenges of rising energy prices and supply chain shortages, it’s been another big year for electrifying transport.”
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