Number of ultra-rapid EV chargers grows 40 per cent in first half of 2022

The number of ultra-rapid electric car chargers increased by nearly 40 per cent during the first six months of 2022, according to new research.

Data from EV charging service Zap-Map shows that at the end of 2021 there were 1,290 ultra-rapid EV chargers across the UK – these chargers being classed as those that can charge an EV at a rate of 100kW or above, and enable the speediest EV charging around. As of the end of June, however, this number had increased to 1,803 – a 39.7 per cent increase.

Zap-Map said that is mainly due to the growth of high-speed charging ‘hubs’, which are being increasingly rolled out, with the firm saying networks such as MFG EV Power, InstaVolt and Gridserve are particularly key to this.

The number of all EV public chargers had also increased by 15 per cent from 28,458 to 32,663 in the same period. Of the 4,205 new devices installed so far in 2022, 1,662 of these were ‘on-street’ EV chargers, such as those found on residential streets and which enable easier charging for those that can’t plug in their car at home.

Zap-Map highlighted Shell-owned Ubitricity in particular, with this firm installing its predominantly lamppost-fitted chargers at 981 sites across the UK – the most of any firm so far in 2022. Pod Point has also installed 649 chargers of various speeds in the first six months of the year, with InstaVolt in third place, with 166 of its rapid units installed.

The mapping service also highlighted the North East as a particular area of growth when it comes to EV chargers, with the number of units in the area increasing by 21 per cent in the first half of 2022, from 897 to 1,085 in June.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and chief operating officer at Zap-Map, said: “The 40 per cent increase in the number of ultra-rapid chargers is clearly the headline figure so far in 2022. These types of chargers make longer journeys far easier, so the big increase should really mean we see an end to ‘range anxiety’.

“But let’s not forget that slower chargers also have a critical role to play. They might not provide the excitement of adding hundreds of miles in minutes – but with more than half a million pure-electric cars now on UK roads, their part to play in the adoption of electric cars is just as important as their ultra-rapid counterparts.

“It’s crucial that the rollout of high-speed charging hubs continues at pace, alongside the increasing provision of on-street chargers for those without driveways, ideally with local councils engaged along the way.”