On 13 December 2024, the National Audit Office (NAO) released a new report that looks at whether the Department for Transport (DfT) is achieving value for money in the rollout of electric vehicle infrastructure.

The UK is making steady progress toward its goal of 300,000 public electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints by 2030, but significant challenges remain. The country must address accessibility, infrastructure gaps, and regional disparities to support the shift to zero-emission vehicles as the ban on new petrol and diesel cars approaches.

As of July 2024, the UK had 64,632 public chargepoints, meeting current benchmarks. However, chargepoints are available mainly in urban areas, with London and the South-East hosting 44% of installations. In contrast, only 15% of chargepoints are in rural areas, leaving many communities underserved. This imbalance could make the government's ambition to create a fair, nationwide EV network difficult.

CIHT has explored how to consider fairness when looking at the implementation of the policy phasing out the manufacturing of petrol and diesel vehicles and encouraging the take-up of EVs in its latest policy brief Ensuring a Just Transition to Net Zero Transport.

The NAO also highlighted challenges in highways infrastructure. Just 62% of highways service areas met the target of at least six ultra-rapid chargepoints by 2023. Many service areas lack the power capacity to meet future charging demands, with only 10% prepared to handle projected needs beyond 2035.

The NAO’s findings underscore the critical role of a robust public charging network to reduce transport-related carbon emissions, which make up 28% of the UK’s domestic CO2 output. While current installations, supported by private investment and government programs like the £450 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, are on track, systemic challenges could slow down further progress.

Complex planning processes, limited electricity grid capacity, and lack of skilled resources in local authorities have delayed projects. For example, while the LEVI fund aims to install 100,000 local chargepoints by March 2025, fewer than 10 projects have been approved for delivery.

Another pressing issue is the accessibility of chargepoints for disabled drivers. Despite a forecast of 1.35 million disabled drivers relying on public chargepoints by 2035, many existing installations fail to meet basic accessibility standards. 

CIHT’s report Creating a public realm for all explored accessibility issues faced by disabled people when navigating public spaces. The report provides transport professionals with guidance documents, suggested reading material, and examples of good practices for reference.

Consumer trust in the public charging network has also been raised in the NAO report. Many drivers face frustrations with unclear pricing, different payment methods, and the reliability of chargepoints. Although new government regulations have introduced standardised pricing metrics, payment systems, and a 99% reliability requirement for rapid chargers, monitoring and enforcement will be critical for building confidence.

While the Department for Transport’s efforts to expand EV charging infrastructure are commendable, the report warns that achieving the minimum of 300,000 public chargepoints is only part of the solution. Ensuring fair distribution, addressing accessibility, and overcoming infrastructure challenges will be critical in transitioning to a cleaner, zero-emission future.

In 2025 CIHT will be developing policy and technical work on issues faced when rolling out EV infrastructure  . If you are interested in getting involved, please email technical@ciht.org.uk