The UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure is growing faster than ever. With over 1.88 million fully electric cars now on British roads and 118,000+ public charge points installed, 2026 marks a turning point for EV adoption. Whether you’re considering a home EV charger or relying on the public network, understanding these numbers helps you make smarter decisions about going electric.
We’ve compiled 25 verified statistics covering EV adoption, home and public charging infrastructure, costs, and government policy – sourced from Zap-Map, the DfT, SMMT, and OZEV.
- 1.88 million battery-electric cars on UK roads - representing 5.5% of the total car parc as of February 2026 (Zap-Map)
- 23.4% of new cars sold in 2025 were fully electric - up from 19.6% in 2024 and just 16.6% in 2022 (SMMT/Zap-Map)
- 118,321 public charge points installed - with 22% rated rapid or ultra-rapid, growing 13% in 2025 (Zap-Map, Feb 2026)
- Home charging costs just 2-5p per mile - compared to 14-19p per mile for petrol, saving over £1,000 per year (ECIU, 2025)
- 403,733 government-funded chargers installed - OZEV grant schemes have invested over £200 million since 2013 (DfT, Jul 2025)
EV Adoption Statistics
The UK’s shift to electric vehicles has accelerated dramatically. In just four years, the number of fully electric cars on British roads has nearly tripled from 664,148 at the end of 2022 to over 1.88 million by February 2026. Here are the key adoption figures.
1. There are over 1,885,000 fully electric cars registered in the UK. As of February 2026, battery-electric vehicles represent approximately 5.5% of the 34 million cars on UK roads. Including plug-in hybrids, the total rises to 2,885,644 plug-in vehicles. Source: Zap-Map, March 2026.
2. 473,348 new electric cars were registered in 2025. This represents 23.4% market share of all new car registrations – an increase of 91,378 units compared to 2024. The ZEV mandate target of 28% was not met, but growth remains strong. Source: SMMT/Zap-Map, January 2026.
3. EV market share has grown from 6.7% in 2020 to 23.4% in 2025. The trajectory shows consistent year-on-year growth: 11.6% (2021), 16.6% (2022), 16.5% (2023), 19.6% (2024), and 23.4% (2025). Including PHEVs, plug-in vehicles reached 34.5% of new sales in 2025. Source: Zap-Map, March 2026.
4. December 2025 saw the highest monthly EV market share at 32.2%. Nearly one in three new cars registered in December 2025 was fully electric. Over the past 13 months, EV registrations have exceeded 20% in 12 of them. Source: Zap-Map, March 2026.
5. The Tesla Model Y was the UK’s best-selling EV in 2025 with 24,298 registrations. The Tesla Model 3 followed with 21,188 units, and the Audi Q4 e-tron took third place with 14,433 registrations. Source: Car Magazine/SMMT, January 2026.
| Year | New BEV Registrations | BEV Market Share | Total BEV on Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 267,203 | 16.6% | 664,148 |
| 2023 | 314,684 | 16.5% | 978,832 |
| 2024 | 381,970 | 19.6% | 1,360,802 |
| 2025 | 473,348 | 23.4% | 1,834,150 |
| 2026 (YTD) | 51,494 | 22.0% | 1,885,644 |
All registration figures are sourced from Zap-Map and the SMMT. BEV = battery-electric vehicle (fully electric). PHEV = plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. YTD figures are as of end of February 2026.
6. 274,815 used electric cars were sold in 2025. This represents a 45.7% year-on-year increase in the second-hand EV market, demonstrating growing consumer confidence in pre-owned electric vehicles. Source: SMMT, January 2026.
7. Over 105,000 electric vans are registered in the UK. As of February 2026, electric vans represent approximately 2.1% of all light commercial vehicles on UK roads. In 2025, 27,789 new electric vans were registered – a 35.5% increase on 2024. Source: Zap-Map, March 2026.
Home Charging Statistics
Home charging remains the most convenient and cost-effective way to power an electric vehicle. The vast majority of EV owners in the UK charge primarily at home, typically overnight on cheaper electricity tariffs. If you’re weighing up installation costs, these figures provide useful context.
8. Around 80% of EV charging in the UK happens at home. Industry surveys consistently show that the majority of EV owners rely on home charging for their day-to-day needs, using the public network primarily for longer journeys. Source: DfT/Zap-Map, 2025.
9. Over 380,000 domestic EV chargers have been installed through government grant schemes. The EVHS (2014-2022) funded 340,222 installations worth £140.8 million. Its successor, the EV Chargepoint Grant (EVCG), has funded a further 23,178 sockets since April 2022 at a cost of £16.6 million. The separate Domestic Recharge Scheme added 40,333 installations. Source: DfT/OZEV, July 2025.
10. A typical home EV charging session uses 30-40 kWh and takes 4-8 hours. Using a standard 7kW home wallbox, a full charge from 20% to 80% on a 60 kWh battery takes approximately 5-6 hours. Most EV owners schedule overnight charging to take advantage of off-peak electricity rates as low as 7-9p per kWh. Source: Zap-Map/Energy Saving Trust, 2025.
11. The average cost of installing a home EV charger is £800 to £1,200. This includes the charger unit (£400-£800) and professional installation (£300-£500). Government grants of up to £350 are available for eligible renters and flat owners, reducing the effective cost to £450-£850. Source: Checkatrade/The Guardian, 2025-2026.
12. The most popular home charger brands in the UK include Ohme, Pod Point, Easee, Hypervolt, and myenergi Zappi. Smart chargers dominate the market, offering app control, energy tariff integration, and solar compatibility. The myenergi Zappi is particularly popular with solar panel owners for its solar energy diversion feature. Source: Industry analysis, 2025.
| Home Charging Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| EV owners who primarily charge at home | ~80% | DfT/Zap-Map 2025 |
| Govt-funded domestic chargers installed (all schemes) | 403,733 | DfT/OZEV Jul 2025 |
| Average home charger installed cost | £800-£1,200 | Checkatrade 2026 |
| EVCG grant for renters/flat owners | Up to £350 | OZEV 2025 |
| Typical 7kW charge time (20%-80%) | 5-6 hours | Energy Saving Trust |
| Cheapest off-peak EV tariff rate | 7-9p/kWh | What Car? 2025 |
Public Charging Infrastructure Statistics
The UK’s public charging network has expanded significantly, with over 118,000 charge points now installed. The government’s target is 300,000 public charge points by 2030. Here is how the network currently looks.
13. There are 118,321 public EV charge points installed across the UK. This figure, reported by Zap-Map as of February 2026, includes all public access chargers from standard on-street units to ultra-rapid motorway chargers. The network grew by 13% in 2025, with 13,281 new chargers added during the year. Source: Zap-Map/DfT, February 2026.
14. 50% of public chargers are standard (3-8kW), while 22% are rapid or ultra-rapid. The breakdown: 50% standard (3-8kW), 27% standard plus (8-50kW), 12% rapid (50-150kW), and 10% ultra-rapid (150kW+). The rapid and ultra-rapid segments are growing fastest, particularly at motorway service areas and retail hubs. Source: DfT, January 2026.
15. London has 338 public chargers per 100,000 residents – double the national average. The UK average is 168 chargers per 100,000 population. Scotland follows with 218, while Northern Ireland lags significantly at just 58 per 100,000. However, London has the second-lowest proportion of rapid chargers per capita. Source: DfT, January 2026.
16. 54% of public chargers are at destination locations, 32% are on-street. Destination chargers (car parks, hotels, retail) form the largest category. On-street residential chargers account for 32%, en-route chargers (motorway services, forecourts) make up 9%, and other semi-public locations represent 4%. Source: DfT, January 2026.
17. 17.1% of public chargers are in rural areas. This closely matches the 17.5% of the England and Wales population living in rural areas, suggesting broadly proportional distribution. Urban areas contain 82.9% of chargers. Source: DfT, January 2026.
| Region | Chargers per 100,000 | Rapid+ per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| London | 338.1 | 25.6 |
| Scotland | 217.5 | 53.8 |
| Wales | 177.1 | 39.9 |
| West Midlands | 159.8 | 41.4 |
| South East | 149.4 | 36.4 |
| South West | 148.0 | 45.7 |
| East of England | 140.9 | 44.0 |
| North East | 138.9 | 32.3 |
| East Midlands | 120.9 | 43.3 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 108.5 | 33.2 |
| North West | 104.9 | 36.9 |
| Northern Ireland | 57.5 | 16.7 |
| UK Average | 167.5 | 38.1 |
Regional charger data is from the DfT’s official Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure Statistics (January 2026), which uses data collated by Zap-Map from individual charge point operators under the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023. Per capita figures use ONS mid-year population estimates.
EV Charging Cost Statistics
One of the biggest advantages of driving an EV is the lower running cost. Home charging is significantly cheaper than petrol or diesel, though public rapid charging narrows the gap. Here are the latest cost comparisons for UK drivers.
18. Home EV charging costs 2-5p per mile, compared to 14-19p per mile for petrol. At an average domestic electricity rate of around 24p per kWh, charging a typical EV with 3.5 miles-per-kWh efficiency costs approximately 7p per mile. On off-peak tariffs (7-9p/kWh), this drops to 2-3p per mile. Petrol at £1.36/litre in a car averaging 40 mpg costs roughly 15p per mile. Source: Brumble/ECIU, 2025-2026.
19. EV owners save over £1,000 per year on fuel compared to petrol drivers. Analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit found that running cost savings for EV drivers are set to exceed £1,000 annually. For second-hand EVs, average savings reach £1,450 per year despite the new VED road tax on EVs from April 2025. Source: ECIU, 2025.
20. Public slow/fast charging averages 53-54p per kWh; rapid/ultra-rapid averages 76-80p per kWh. According to the Zap-Map Price Index, the weighted average cost at slow/fast chargers (up to 49kW) is approximately 54p/kWh. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers (50kW+) average around 76-80p/kWh, though some networks charge over 85p/kWh at peak times. Source: Zap-Map Price Index, March 2026.
21. Ultra-rapid charging costs have fallen by up to 10% in the past year. Increased competition among charging networks has driven down prices, with some ultra-rapid chargers now as low as 45p/kWh during off-peak hours. This is narrowing the premium over slower public chargers. Source: Carwow/Zap-Map, 2026.
| Fuel Type | Cost per Mile | Annual Cost (10,000 miles) | Annual Saving vs Petrol |
|---|---|---|---|
| EV (home off-peak tariff) | 2-3p | £200-£300 | £1,200-£1,300 |
| EV (home standard tariff) | 6-7p | £600-£700 | £800-£900 |
| EV (public slow/fast) | 14-16p | £1,400-£1,600 | £0-£100 |
| EV (public rapid/ultra-rapid) | 20-23p | £2,000-£2,300 | -£500 (more expensive) |
| Petrol (avg 40 mpg at £1.36/L) | ~15p | ~£1,500 | – |
| Diesel (avg 45 mpg at £1.43/L) | ~14p | ~£1,400 | – |
Public rapid charging can cost more than petrol per mile. If you cannot charge at home, factor public charging costs into your EV ownership calculations. Our EV charger installation cost guide explains how to get a home charger fitted affordably.
Government Policy and Grant Statistics
The UK government supports EV adoption through grant schemes, infrastructure investment, and regulatory policy. From OZEV grants for home and workplace chargers to the ZEV mandate for manufacturers, here are the key policy statistics.
22. Over 403,000 domestic and workplace chargers have been funded through OZEV schemes. The combined total across all OZEV grant programmes includes 340,222 EVHS installations, 40,333 DRS installations, 23,178 EVCG sockets, and 63,777 Workplace Charging Scheme sockets. Total government grant expenditure exceeds £200 million. Source: DfT/OZEV, July 2025.
23. The Workplace Charging Scheme has funded 63,777 sockets across the UK. Since launching in 2016, the WCS has supported 28,800 voucher redemptions. In the 12 months to July 2025, 7,924 new workplace sockets were installed. The South East leads with 9,295 sockets, while London has the lowest uptake at 45 installations per 100,000 population. Source: DfT/OZEV, July 2025.
24. The WCS grant increases from £350 to £500 per socket from 1 April 2026. The enhanced Workplace Charging Scheme grant represents a 43% increase in per-socket funding. Simultaneously, the EV Chargepoint Grant for landlords and renters will also see improved rates from April 2026. Source: GOV.UK, March 2026.
25. The UK’s 2035 ICE ban means all new cars and vans must be zero-emission. Under current legislation, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will end by 2035. The interim ZEV mandate requires manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero-emission vehicles each year: 28% in 2025, rising to 80% by 2030. Manufacturers face fines for non-compliance. Source: DfT/GOV.UK, 2025.
| Grant Scheme | Total Sockets Installed | Grant Value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVHS (Homecharge Scheme) | 340,222 | £140.8M | Closed (replaced by EVCG) |
| DRS (Domestic Recharge Scheme) | 40,333 | N/A | Closed (replaced by EVHS) |
| EVCG (Chargepoint Grant) | 23,178 | £16.6M | Open (renters/flats/landlords) |
| WCS (Workplace Charging) | 63,777 | Under review | Open (£500/socket from Apr 2026) |
| ORCS (On-Street Residential) | 13,325 | £47.1M | Closed to new applicants |
From 1 April 2026, the Workplace Charging Scheme grant increases to £500 per socket. If your business is planning to install EV chargers, it may be worth waiting until April to maximise your grant funding. See our complete guide to EV charger grants for eligibility details.
UK EV Charging: What the Data Tells Us
The statistics paint a clear picture: the UK’s transition to electric vehicles is well underway and accelerating. With nearly one in four new cars sold now fully electric, the charging infrastructure is racing to keep pace.
Home charging remains the backbone of daily EV use – cheaper, more convenient, and increasingly accessible through government grants. The public network is expanding but unevenly distributed, with London far ahead on total chargers while Scotland leads on rapid charging provision per capita.
The cost advantage of EVs is most pronounced for drivers who can charge at home on off-peak tariffs, where running costs drop to as low as 2p per mile. For those relying solely on public rapid chargers, the financial benefit narrows significantly and can even reverse.
With the WCS grant increasing to £500 per socket in April 2026, the 2035 ICE ban approaching, and home charger technology improving, the economic case for switching to electric continues to strengthen.
Sources and Methodology
All statistics in this article are sourced from official government publications and established industry data providers. We update this page quarterly as new data becomes available.
| Source | Data Used | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|
| Zap-Map (zapmap.com) | EV registrations, public charge point counts, charging price index | March 2026 |
| DfT – EV Public Charging Infrastructure Statistics | Regional distribution, power ratings, location classifications | January 2026 |
| DfT/OZEV – EV Charging Device Grant Scheme Statistics | Grant-funded installations (EVHS, EVCG, WCS, ORCS, DRS) | July 2025 |
| SMMT (smmt.co.uk) | New and used car registration data | January 2026 |
| ECIU (eciu.net) | EV running cost comparisons and annual savings | 2025 |
| GOV.UK | ZEV mandate targets, grant scheme changes, 2035 ICE ban policy | March 2026 |
