Huge increase in EV chargers required to 2035

However, the report states that a more realistic measure would be one charger for every four of these motorists, requiring 10,000 chargers to be installed per month within that time frame.

This is dramatically contrasted by the number of EV chargers installed at the end of 2019, which Connected Kerb said was standing at 19,000.

In its research, it conducted a detailed questionnaire with 500 people with an interest in EVs, which included 212 existing EV owners. Of these, 64 per cent said they do the majority of their charging overnight, with 11 per cent using public rapid chargers, 5 per cent ultra-fast chargers and 5 per cent charging at work.

In addition, 51 per cent said public rapid chargers were only useful when they were away from home, with 29 per cent saying they were often unavailable, 29 per cent saying they were often broken and 24 per cent saying they were expensive.

Connected Kerb’s report therefore gives recommendations for rolling out EV infrastructure that is fit for purpose, it said.

The rollout of charging infrastructure should be deployed just ahead of local demand. If there are too many chargers the spaces will sit empty and if there are too few this will act as a disincentive for EV adoption. This therefore requires careful planning and modelling using data to identify viable locations which are likely to see a gradual uptake in EVs, the report said.

Specific deployment programmes should also be designed for disadvantaged communities to avoid a two-tier system, and customer focused payment models should be created.

Deployment should be coordinated between the public and private sector, it said, suggesting local authorities, builders and employers should coordinate activity on charging to ensure roll out matches demand. 

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, said people need to feel that switching is cheaper and more convenient for EVs to become mainstream, which means “deployment of charging infrastructure that is aligned to the reality of their existing routines”. 

“Creating an EV charging infrastructure that enables the majority of the UK to move to electric vehicles in 15 years needs bold thinking and significant investment.

“Critically, it means moving from piecemeal deployment of charging stations that no one really wants, to a strategic infrastructure plan directly aligned to user needs,” he added.

The company itself recently announced it would be rolling out wireless charging in London, the Midlands and Scotland in the first half of 2020.