More milestones reached in May as EV charging point locator service Zap-Map released data showing that the UK now has 8,471 charging sites, hosting a combined total of 13,613 individual charging devices. This compared to 8,400 operational petrol stations. Zap-Map estimates that the number of charging locations has increased by 57% in the last year, making so-called ‘range anxiety’ no longer an issue. The EV market is following suit, growing from just 3,500 cars 6 years ago to more than 210,000 in 2019. By the end of 2022, it is expected that there will be at least one million EVs in the UK as the government plans to ban the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2040.
The charging technology is also advancing quickly with 350kW charge points starting to be rolled out that will allow electric vehicles of the future to fully recharge in as little as 10 minutes.
Investment in charging installs has really taken off in the last year with a large number of developers in the market for suitable sites for rapid charging stations. Target sites are ones next to the major road network with available grid capacity, and developers are offering competitive rental/ revenue share agreements for the ideal site.
However, EV charging points shouldn’t only be installed in public areas says Amy Souter, Partner within the Energy team at Carter Jonas. “Businesses should be actively seeking to futureproof their property to secure the patronage of EV owning customers, whether they provide workspace, retail, leisure or visitor attractions”.
Carter Jonas acts on behalf of both landowners and EV developers to identify and develop sites of all scales, from a single charge point to a rapid charging station. As with any other development securing grid capacity early is vital, which Carter Jonas can also advise on.