Electric vehicle adoption has risen by 291% over two years

UK, 2 September 2022: New research from Experian shows that the UK’s burgeoning electric vehicle market will only continue to grow if the right infrastructure is in place to meet demand.

The study, conducted in partnership with Zap-Map, shows adoption of EVs increased by 291%1 over the last two years. The volume of public charging points has also increased, with 33,281 now installed across the country, a rise of more than a third (35%) since the same time last year2.

Areas that have already seen a high-level of EV adoption and where demand is expected to continue to grow include Barnet in north London, Leeds, and Wiltshire.

Meanwhile, the north-east which has previously seen a high level of demand but a low level of charging points, saw its number of points grow by 21% in the first six months of the year – the highest rate of growth in the UK3.

Another significant factor for local authority planners and power networks to consider is the number of homes with and without driveways.

Locations in Buckinghamshire, South Cambridgeshire, and Wokingham were identified as areas with a high number of homes with driveways and strong demand for EVs. In these areas, power networks will need to establish how best to meet this growth and plan accordingly.

Conversely, cities such as Bristol, Edinburgh and Brighton were identified as having a high number of properties without driveways. In these locations, local authorities will have to ensure the right level of infrastructure is in place to support on street-charging for those without private parking.

Colin Grieves, Managing Director, Experian Marketing Services, said: “Our analysis shows that consumers now view EVs as a better alternative to traditional vehicles, and this trend is only going to increase. However, appetite may be thwarted if the correct infrastructure is not in place.

“By modelling where demand is likely to be most concentrated in the forthcoming years, infrastructure planners can begin to meet the challenge effectively.

“It is no small task. Getting resources in the most appropriate place well ahead of adoption means our communities will be well-placed to cope with these new demands.”

Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder & COO at Zap-Map, said: “With the rapid growth in the popularity of EVs, things are really stepping up a gear. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that the UK’s charging infrastructure continues to develop at pace so that driving an electric car is as simple as possible.

“Over the past few years the UK has seen significant investment from the private sector into the country’s high-speed charging network, and we’re now beginning to see the benefits. Closer to home, local authorities have tools such as the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund at their disposal to make local EV hubs and charging on residential streets a reality.

“It’s great to see companies such as Experian engaging in discussions with local authorities across the country. A joined-up approach is essential to creating an EV landscape that works for everyone.”

Experian is in discussions with local authorities and power networks across the country to help them better understand the EV landscape and meet the challenges ahead.

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About Experian Electric Vehicle Modelling          

Experian used two data models based on a several information sources, including Zap-Map, property, and propensity information. By combining and analysing the models, it was possible to predict what type of consumers are most likely to adopt an EV and properties most likely to have a driveway.

This insight enables local authorities and power suppliers to better understand where there could be clusters of adoption and potential pinch points for EV charging and increased demand on the network.

[1] EV figures - 114,470 in Q12020 compared to 447,586 in Q12022.

[2] Figures taken from Zap Map’s ‘EV Charging Statistics 2022’ report - https://www.zap-map.com/statistics/

[3] The number of charging points in the North East increased from 897 to 1,085 between January – June 2022, Zap-Map

Media contact:

Robert Goodman, PR Manager, Corporate & Business, UK&I, Experian

Tel: +44 7989 398 498 / Email: Robert.Goodman@Experian.com

About Experian

Experian is the world’s leading global information services company. During life’s big moments – from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers – we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 20,600 people operating across 43 countries and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people, and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group.

About Zap-Map

Launched in June 2014, with a mission to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles (EV) and help the drive towards zero carbon mobility, Zap-Map is the UK’s leading EV charge point mapping service. Available on iOS/Android and desktop, Zap-Map helps EV drivers to search for available charge points, plan longer journeys, pay for charging on participating networks and share updates with other drivers.

Zap-Map currently has over 400,000 registered users, and over 95% of the UK’s public points on its network, around 70% of which show live availability data.

For more information, please visit: www.zap-map.com.

 

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