Electric vehicle charging is not keeping up with demand

Date: 25/10/22

There is no denying that electric vehicles are the future, but right now, a lack of electric vehicle and plant charging points are holding that revolution back.

The Government is planning a ban on all new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030, and hybrid vehicle sales by 2035. This is part of the aim to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. It’s certainly a laudable aim, but unfortunately it is not being backed by the infrastructure that a radical policy like this requires.

More cars need more chargers

A study by Zurich Insurance found that there are around 720,000 electric vehicles on the roads in the UK, with around two thirds of these registered to companies. Electric car sales increased by 76% last year, rising from 108,000 in 2020 to 190,000 in 2021 according to the Society of Motor manufacturers and Traders. What’s more, these number look set to grow significantly, with OFGEM reporting that one in four people plan to buy an electric vehicle in the next five years.

Yet despite a rise in sales of 76%, the charging infrastructure only grew by around 31%, leaving many companies struggling to find suitable charging points. On average, there is just one public charging point for every 56 small businesses, and this can vary significantly from region to region. In Greater Manchester, there is just one socket for every 237 firms, while the average across the North West is just one charger for every 70 SMEs.

A massive shortfall

There are currently just over 28,000 public EVC charging points in the UK, with less than a fifth of these offering rapid charging. The UK Climate Change Committee estimates that the UK will need around 325,000 charging points by 2030 to accommodate the new electric vehicles, yet at the current growth rate, there will only be around 77,000 available.

The shortfall in electric charging points is partly due to a shortage of raw materials, such as lithium, cause by market changes during the pandemic. However this hasn’t stopped some of our European neighbours pressing ahead. The Netherlands has more than twice as many EV charging points as the UK, while Germany has one and a half times as many.

This is not only inconvenient for businesses, but also means that many will be missing out on the cost savings and environmental benefits of electric vehicles and plant. However, there is a solution, which not only makes these benefits much more accessible, but also increases the environmental aspect by utilising clean, renewable solar power.

Solar powered electric vehicle and plant charging

Solar electric vehicle and plant charging from Think Hire is a flexible, portable solution for companies and construction sites looking to electrify their fleets. These charging points can be powered off the grid, or via Think Hire’s solar hybrid generators, and can be relocated as your project progresses, with no complex groundworks required.

As you would expect from Think Hire, these units also benefit from smart energy monitoring, enabling you to get the best from your energy supply in the most efficient and effective way.

The future of electric vehicle and plant charging

As discussed above, electric vehicles are very much the future of transport in the UK. However you don’t have to wait for that future to arrive in order to enjoy the many benefits. At Think Hire, we’re more than ready for the electric vehicle revolution, and you can join us right now with state of the art electric vehicle and plant charging points, available for hire or for sale, which cover all your company cars as well as site plant and machinery.

Talk to our team today about installing electric vehicle and plant charging points on your site to avoid the national shortage and get your business moving into an electric future.

View all Think Hire news