The Department for Transport has published its official statistics for public EV charging infrastructure, covering the position as of 1 July 2026. The headline: the UK now has 121,171 public EV chargers — up from 97,266 charging devices recorded at the start of the year (the series changed from "devices" to "chargers" in 2026, which captures more sockets per location).
Key numbers at a glance
- 121,171 public EV chargers across the UK (1 July 2026)
- 174.9 chargers per 100,000 of the population
- 28,887 rapid or above (50kW+) — 41.7 per 100,000
- 1 public charger for every 17 battery electric vehicles (as of 1 April 2026)
The rapid network is growing fastest. Of the 121,171 public chargers, 12% are rapid (50–150kW) and a further 12% are ultra-rapid (150kW+). That means around 24,000 ultra-fast chargers capable of adding 100+ miles in 15–20 minutes.
Where the chargers are
Unsurprisingly, provision varies widely by region:
- Scotland leads for rapid chargers: 59.1 per 100,000 people
- London has the most chargers per capita overall (345.1 per 100,000) but the second-lowest rapid provision (27.9) — most of its public network is on-street slow chargers
- Northern Ireland trails on both: 60.0 total and 19.3 rapid per 100,000
- South West England has the highest rapid density in England at 49.5 per 100,000
Rural coverage is improving too — 16.7% of public chargers in England and Wales are in rural areas, roughly in line with the 17.5% of the population that lives there.
How fast is the network growing?
So far in 2026, 5,119 chargers have been added (one operator removed ~1,270 incorrectly reported private-access chargers in June, so the true underlying growth is higher). In full-year 2025 the network grew by 13,281 chargers, and Zapmap industry estimates put 2024 additions at 24,557.
Growth is increasingly driven by on-street charging for people without driveways: 33% of all public chargers are now on residential streets, up from under a quarter two years ago. Destination chargers (shops, hotels, car parks) make up 52%, and en-route rapid chargers (motorway services etc.) 11%.
What this means for you
For most UK drivers the practical picture is simple:
- If you have a driveway, home charging remains cheapest — see our charging cost calculator to compare.
- If you rely on public charging, the rapid network (50kW+) now covers every motorway service area and most A-road corridors. Check our UK charging point directory to find chargers near you, by town or postcode.
- The ratio of 1 charger per 17 BEVs is well above the level many analysts consider sufficient — and it keeps improving as ultra-rapid sites open.
A note on the data
The 121,171 figure covers the public charging network — devices installed and operated by chargepoint operators. The DfT also publishes a separate grant schemes series for government-funded charging (home, workplace, on-street and NHS sites). The two series cover different things and should not be added together.
A few caveats worth knowing: these statistics are labelled "official statistics in development", the most recent quarter tends to undercount while grant applications are still being processed, and the data cannot confirm whether every device is still in operation. The DfT also expects to publish statistics for the LEVI fund (local on-street charging) and the Depot Charging Grant during 2026 — worth watching, because LEVI is the main policy aimed at flat and terraced-house residents who rely on on-street charging.
FAQ
How many public EV chargers are there in the UK?
121,171 as of 1 July 2026, according to the DfT's official statistics — 174.9 per 100,000 people.
How many rapid or ultra-rapid chargers are there?
28,887 chargers rated 50kW or above (rapid + ultra-rapid), or 41.7 per 100,000 people. Around 12% of all public chargers are 150kW+ ultra-rapid.
Is the UK's charging network growing fast enough?
Yes, on current trends. The network grew by ~13,000 chargers in 2025 and there is roughly one public charger for every 17 battery EVs — comfortably ahead of most international benchmarks. The biggest remaining gap is on-street charging for flat and terraced-house residents, which the government's LEVI fund is targeting.
Where can I find charging points near me?
Use our free UK EV charging point directory — browse by town, filter to rapid-only, and open any charger in Google Maps with one tap.
Data source: GOV.UK / Department for Transport — Public electric vehicle charging infrastructure statistics: 1 July 2026 (published 27 August 2026).
