A total of 93% of the UK's electric vehicle (EV) drivers use the UK’s public charging networks, according to a survey.
It also found that 40% of those surveyed use public chargers at least once a week.
The results show a significant increase in both the installation and useage of high-powered – also known as ultra-rapid – charging devices across the country in 2021.
While rapid chargers (25kW – 99kW) are still used by the most EV drivers overall, the survey found that the usage of ultra-rapid chargers jumped to 27% of EV drivers – up from just 16% the previous years.
In part, this increase in usage is due to the growing number of ultra-rapid chargers that are now available to use, which grew by 60% in 2021. However, it also provides a clear indication that the new ultra-rapid chargerss are fulfilling demand from EV drivers travelling longer distances, with most new EVs now able to charge at the higher speed.
While charging hubs demonstrated the most growth in terms of usage, supermarkets and motorway service areas retained the top two positions, with 52% and 50% of respondents respectively saying they regularly used these types of location.
The data also showed that less than 1% of EV drivers would want to go back to petrol or diesel.
Zap-Map, the UK’s leading app and digital platform for EV drivers to search, plan and pay for charging, gathered over 3,000 responses for their survey.
Melanie Shufflebotham, Zap-Map Co-founder & COO, insists the data proves there should be continued investment in ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs.
She said: “As the number of EV drivers on the road approaches half a million, a robust charging infrastructure is essential, and the public charging network is growing and developing to meet these changing needs.
“We know that EV charging use cases are diverse, as the survey makes clear, and we absolutely need a range of charge speeds to match them. However, amongst other considerations, the demand for high-powered chargers revealed in this report indicates that ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs continue to be a crucial area of investment – for the simple fact that they make long journeys easier.”
The Arnold Clark Innovation Centre, meanwhile, opened last year on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow’s West End with the aim of educating visitors about the benefits of alternative fuel vehicles and why they are becoming so important.
There are more than 60 vehicles on site available to test-drive, from plug-in and self-charging hybrids to fully electric vehicles.
There are no sales at the site, which is specifically an innovation, information, and educational centre.
You can also learn about the different types of charging and generous government tax and grants available if you're thinking of moving to electric.
We have also recently opened a second Innovation Centre in Stafford, England.
Book an appointment with our business expert at one of our Innovation Centres.
