People are buying EV's but have no where to charge them

With the ever-growing influx of electrical vehicles on the road, the United Kingdom is facing one of its biggest issues to date. Electric cars now outnumber the amount of public charge points by at least 15 vehicles to every one charger.

Recent figures revealed that more than half a million electric cars were now on Britain’s roads, this means that the number of public electric vehicle chargers are not keeping pace. In the last year, the ratio of electric vehicles to charging points has almost tripled, with 15 cars per charging point in January 2022 compared to the same month in 2021.

Reports have found that a third of electric car drivers now frequently must queue to charge their car. Three in four electric car drivers said the United Kingdoms charging infrastructure is “not fit for purpose”. Findings highlight how the charging network is not only a cause of frustration for electric vehicle drivers but also the millions of petrol and diesel drivers looking to transition too electric sooner rather than later. Having to queue for a charge is a concern raised all too often by motorists, illustrating just how pressing it is for more charge points to be installed as a matter of urgency.

Research has also found that drivers in London are the best provided for, with five electric vehicles per charging point, compared to the South West and North West where the ratio of electric vehicles to charging points was 32 to one and 28 to one respectively. So the demand looks to be more crucial up towards the North of the country.

To overcome this issue, the Government have announced in March 2022 that it aims to install at least 300,000 public charging points by 2030 in a £1.6bn push. Yet little more than 30,000 have been installed in the last decade which means the demand for installs will become incredibly high over the next 8 years. Even if the Government did reach their 300,000 installation target, there would be 54 electric vehicles for every charge point by the end of the decade.

A Department for Transport spokesman said:

‍“Installation of charge points is accelerating, with more added in 2021 than any previous year. There are now more than 33,600 publicly available charging devices in the United Kingdom”.

Demand on the electrical industry

As the demand for electric vehicle charge points increases, the demand for qualified installers will also be increasing. The national solution to a problem like this is that more electricians need to upskill to become electric vehicle charge point installers, this would mean we would have more qualified individuals in the industry to meet the ever-growing high demand. From a training centres perspective, the electrical industry as a whole requires more people onboard. As many electric vehicle installers will be upskilling into the position, this may leave a skills shortage in other areas of the industry such as domestic electricians. One thing for certain, is that there will be many opportunities in this industry for new entrants as well as career progression for established electricians to secure the infrastructure of Britain.

If you're an electrician wanting to upskill, email sales@universalskillsgroup.co.uk or fill out the form below for more information on getting your upskill.