UK has twice as many public EV chargers as petrol pumps

According to new analysis from the Department for Transport. there are now considerably more public charging devices than traditional fuel pumps across the country, 

The assessment estimates that, as of January 2026, there are currently 116,052 publicly available electric vehicle chargers in the UK. By comparison, the number of fuel pumps is estimated at around 60,802 – meaning EV chargers now outnumber petrol and diesel pumps by nearly two to one.

An electric car charging at a charging point in Islington

The finding is based on official statistics on charging infrastructure, combined with industry data on the number of petrol stations and the average number of pumps per site.

According to the Petrol Retailers Association’s 2025 market review, there were 8,329 petrol stations operating in the UK as of November 2024. Multiplying that figure by the average number of ‘fuelling positions’ per station 7.3, drawn from 2013 research for the RAC Foundation – gives the estimated total of 60,802 pumps.

The DfT acknowledges that the average pumps-per-station figure is based on data now more than a decade old. However, the department notes that the average increased only marginally between 2006 and 2011, from 7.1 to 7.3, suggesting slow growth. For the conclusion to be incorrect, the average would need to have doubled since then, which the department considers unlikely.

The 116,052 figure includes all public charging devices, from slow overnight units to rapid chargers capable of topping up a battery in minutes.

The analysis does not include the tens of thousands of home chargers installed by EV owners, which handle the majority of everyday charging. If those were included, the gap would be far wider.

The milestone underscores the scale of infrastructure change underway as the UK moves towards the phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars. However, industry figures have cautioned that charger reliability and distribution remain challenges, with some regions better served than others.

The DfT acknowledges that the charging statistics are designated ‘official statistics in development’ – meaning they do not yet meet the full quality standards of accredited official statistics. The data on petrol stations is drawn from a multi-source industry database that the department says appears “robust,” though it has not independently verified the figures.

The comparison also highlights a definitional point: a single charging location may have multiple devices, just as a petrol station may have multiple pumps. In both cases, the count reflects individual points where a vehicle can be fuelled or charged simultaneously.

Photo: Islington Council