Ultra-rapid charging hubs from the likes of InstaVolt and GRIDSERVE have been springing up throughout the year. With multiple ultra-rapid devices at each location, they provide a reliable opportunity for EV drivers to get a quick charge while undertaking longer journeys.
The number of slow chargers has also increased by 66 per cent, from more than 3,670 at the end of 2020 to more than 6,100 at the end of September. These devices are often found on residential streets or as part of community projects, and many act as a replacement for home charging.
Melanie Shufflebotham, COO & Co-founder of Zap-Map, said: “These datasets from the SMMT and Zap-Map not only show that more people are buying EVs than ever before, but that investment in public charging infrastructure is beginning to show real benefits for those choosing to make the switch.
“With these key advances to en route and base charging, EV drivers are increasingly able to get out and about for business as usual. While some issues remain on the reliability of older chargers, the new generation of ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs not only provides a great opportunity for a quick charge, but also peace of mind for EV drivers depending on their next stop off.”
Looking ahead, charging network Osprey has recently announced a £75 million rollout of 150 rapid EV charging hubs, InstaVolt has pledged to install 10,000 new rapid chargers by 2030, and MFG has committed over £400m to installing 3,000 ultra-rapid chargers at roughly 500 sites by the end of 2030. These three announcements alone will affect a notable increase in installed charging capacity up and down the country.
In parallel, GRIDSERVE has been busy upgrading the critical motorway service area chargers that comprise the Electric Highway. There are now over 200 ultra-rapid, rapid and fast GRIDSERVE Electric Highway chargers live on Zap-Map, all of which include live availability status, which makes planning charge stops that much easier for EV drivers.
“While there is still a lot to do by the 2030 deadline, and there needs to be continued focus on shifting the dial to make charging simple for everyone, as more and more people get EVs the focus needs to be not so much on the tech but on the EV driver.” Melanie added.