The UK Now Has More EV Charging Locations Than Gas Stations

While local authorities in many countries are having a hard time satisfying the EV owners’ needs with sufficient charging stations, their number has surpassed those of gas stations in the United Kingdom.

The country now has 9,300 locations where electric vehicle users can charge them. More than 1,600 of those provide fast charging, which can bring up a typical battery’s capacity from 0 to around 80 percent in less than an hour, in cars that support it.

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Reducing the range anxiety by the constant upgrade of electric vehicles combined with a proper charging infrastructure has led to a local market share of 1.4 percent, with demand of battery-powered cars increasing by 158.1 percent this month alone. The introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone in April has had a noticeable effect on Londoners, some of whom are now looking to EV solutions for their daily commute.

“We’ve moved beyond the early concerns of range anxiety with EVs now exceeding the vast majority of customers’ daily driving needs”, said Nissan UK’s managing director Kalyana Sivagnanam. “The next challenge is for charging infrastructure to keep up tith the number of EVs on the road, and that the experience of recharging is as enjoyable and effortless as that of all-electric driving.”

While the number of EV stations has increased greatly (in 2011 there were just a few hundred), gas stations have been reduced by almost 80 percent since 1970 and currently count 8,400. The first fuel station in Britain opened at Aldermaston, in Berkshire, almost one century ago, in November 1919.