EV charger North-South divide continues: Nearly one third in London

Nearly a third of electric vehicle (EV) chargers are based in London, according to new government figures released this week, highlighting a north-south divide.  

Since January 2022, data from the Department for Transport (DfT) shows there has been a 31% increase in EV chargers across the UK, with 8,680 installed throughout the year. 

However, most of these appear to be concentrated in London, with the North West and Northern Ireland continuing to have the least amount of chargers in the country.  

Air Quality News reported on the lack of EV infrastructure outside of London back in October, when there were 116 chargers available in London per 100,000 people and that figure has only grown. 

Based on data from EV charge point platform ZapMap, London now has 131 devices available per 100,000 people, while there are just 31 and 19 in the North West and Northern Ireland respectively. 

Recent research also shows that London doesn’t have the largest share of EV’s in the country, with just 9% of plug-in vehicles licenced here, whereas the North West is home to 13%.  

Councils have reported funding difficulties and a lack of government support as they try to boost their EV infrastructure, while our report showed the UK is lagging behind ambitions for 300,000 publicly available chargepoints by 2030.  

The government has committed to a £450m scheme to accelerate chargepoint installation and announced a delivery of £20m back in August for nine local authorities.  

Last week a pot of £3.27m was also announced to upgrade chargepoints in Northern Ireland by replacing unreliable fast chargers.  

A spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents 350 councils in England and Wales, told the BBC that funding for EV infrastructure isn’t all that’s needed.  

‘Investment in cleaner and better bus networks and safer cycling and walking infrastructure’ is also vital, according to the organisation.  

Photo by Possessed Photography