UK EV Market Soars: Survey Shows Rising Satisfaction And Charging Growth

In the United Kingdom’s (UK) electric vehicle (EV) landscape, a new survey reveals a promising trajectory of growth, satisfaction, and evolving charging infrastructure challenges. 

A Growing and Satisfied EV Community

The annual survey conducted by Zapmap reviewed 3,746 EV drivers paints an optimistic picture of electric mobility. Drivers gave their EVs an impressive satisfaction score of 87 out of 100, with compelling reasons driving their enthusiasm:

• Cost-effectiveness (78% of respondents)
• Environmental benefits (73%)
• Improved vehicle performance (65%)

The most significant point is that fewer than 3% of EV drivers expressed any interest in returning to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, signaling a strong goal to EV growth.

Progress and Challenges

While the EV charging landscape shows significant improvement, nuanced challenges remain. The survey found that 79% of respondents have dedicated home chargers, providing them with a convenient way to power their EVs. However, 51% still rely on public charging networks at least once a month. Satisfaction with public charging was rated at 64 out of 100, reflecting room for improvement in the user experience.

The survey also revealed interesting shifts in charging location preferences. Motorway services remain the most popular, with 58% of drivers using these facilities for their charging needs. The use of EV charging hubs has increased from 47% to 53% year-over-year. However, supermarket car park charging dropped to 32%, largely due to the removal of free charging options, which had previously drawn many drivers.

UK’s Charging Infrastructure Growth

The UK’s charging infrastructure has seen significant growth over the past year. The total number of charge points increased by 38%, highlighting the expanding availability of EV charging options. Rapid charging hubs saw a particularlynotable expansion, growing from 264 to 486, adding 222 new locations.

Moreover, these hubs now offer six or more rapid chargers (50kW to 149kW) or ultra-rapid chargers (150kW+), significantly improving charging accessibility and speed for EV owners.

Jade Edwards, Head of Insights at Zapmap, emphasized the dynamic nature of the EV charging network. “The UK’s public charging network is evolving rapidly to meet the needs of an ever-growing number of EV drivers,” she noted, highlighting that the country now has over 1.3 million battery EVs on its roads.

UK’s EV Landscape Moving Forward

While satisfaction is increasing, the survey suggests a continued need for improvement in public charging reliability, accessibility, and efficiency. The data provides critical guidance for businesses, local authorities, and charge point operators as they plan the next phase of infrastructure development.

Read More: EV Reliability Soars: UK Out-of-Charge Incidents Plummet 80%

As a result, the Zapmap survey offers a comprehensive snapshot of the UK’s EV ecosystem, revealing a market that is mature, growing, and increasingly confident in electric mobility’s potential to transform transportation.

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