UK EV Charging Network Accelerates: Hubs and Ultra‑Rapid Growth Power Net‑Zero Transport

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The UK’s electric vehicle public charging infrastructure has witnessed robust growth, marked by a sharp increase in ultra‑rapid chargers and charging hubs, a trend shaping the net‑zero transport landscape.

Latest figures from Zapmap reveal that in 2025 the UK’s public charging network expanded by 19.1%, with over 14,000 new charge points installed, bringing the total to around 87,800 devices across just over 45,000 locations. These include en‑route, destination, and on‑street charging facilities. Ultra‑rapid chargers those providing 150kW or more saw exceptional gains, now numbering nearly 9,900, a 41% increase on December 2024, while charging hubs (locations with six or more rapid or ultra‑rapid devices) grew by 39%, reaching 748 sites. These developments reflect a continued shift toward high‑capacity charging infrastructure to meet driver demand and support EV adoption.

Regional dynamics are noteworthy: the North West recorded high‑powered charger growth of over 35%, with the East of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland each delivering approximately 29% growth, albeit from lower starting points. On‑street charging also rose significantly: 7,659 new points were installed during 2025 bringing the total to over 33,000 with London maintaining a dominant share at more than 24,000, though growth rates across London and the rest of the UK were comparable, at around 30% year‑on‑year.

The Eleanor of 2024 was a record year for installations, according to earlier Zapmap data. Over 20,000 charge points were brought online a 38% year‑on‑year increase raising the total to approximately 73,700, with monthly installation averages rising from 1,400 to 1,650. Ultra‑rapid devices (150kW+) surged by 84%, while the number of hubs jumped from 264 to 537 in that year. Destination chargers also increased by 12,000, and the number of fully electric vehicles on UK roads hit 1.36 million a 39% increase from the previous year.

Looking further back, by early 2025 the network had surpassed key milestones. As of January 1, 2025, the UK had 73,334 public EV charging points, a 37% year‑on‑year rise driven by growth in urban (35%) and rural (45%) areas. Rapid and ultra‑rapid chargers formed about 20% of that total. On‑street chargers grew by 27%. London’s charging provision dwarfed other regions, with 250 chargers per 100,000 population, compared to just 36 in Northern Ireland. By February, it had crossed 75,000 public charge points a 32% increase year‑on‑year with the milestone device being ultra‑rapid charging infrastructure near key motorways in Bristol.

Earlier milestones include reaching 60,000 public charge points in April 2024 equating to almost 2,000 installations per month and ultra‑rapid device counts rose 135% in 12 months. Residential on‑street charging also jumped by 54%. Even earlier, at the start of 2024 the UK had just under 60,000 devices a 49% yearly increase.

Other progress includes InstaVolt’s Winchester Superhub, which reported delivering over 1 million emission‑free miles, equating to a CO₂ saving of more than 275 tonnes (the equivalent of planting 6,700 trees). The hub, opened in March 2025, is supported by on‑site solar generation and battery storage and uses 100% renewable energy.

Fleet management and decarbonisation tools are also advancing. Webfleet has integrated with Dynamon to offer fleets data‑driven reports on EV rollout, vehicle replacement strategies, charger requirements, and low‑carbon fuel options at up to 80% lower cost than traditional consultancy. This helps operators reliably plan their path to net zero.

What this means:
The sustained growth in high‑capacity charging infrastructure including ultra‑rapid hubs and widespread on‑street provision demonstrates the UK’s accelerating transition to electric mobility. The expansion across regions beyond London signals improving equity in infrastructure access, while innovations such as energy‑self‑sufficient superhubs and digital fleet decarbonisation tools support both public and commercial actors. These trends underscore increasing confidence in EV adoption, laying solid groundwork for achieving transport decarbonisation targets.

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