Executive Summary

• 5,119 new EV chargers were installed in the first half of 2026 according to data from Zapmap, meaning the total public charging network is at 121,171 chargers – a year-on-year increase of 10%
• Growth in ultra-rapid chargers – at 37% year-over-year growth – has come at the expense of rapid chargers, at the lowest growth rate
• The slowdown in numbers intimates that the industry is maturing to make things easier for drivers; the rise of destination charging, where people charge when stopped, rather than stop to charge, is an example of this

New data from Zapmap has shown that the UK’s public EV charging infrastructure continues to expand – but perhaps not currently at the pace required to hit 2030 targets.

The analysis found the UK public charging network hit 121,171 EV chargers across 46,731 locations by the end of June, representing a year-on-year increase of 10%. 5,119 new EV chargers were installed in the first half of 2026.

On-street charging has seen the highest year-on-year growth at 18%, now accounting for 39,859 chargers, while en-route locations, for longer journeys, has gone up to 13,711 EV chargers, growing 15.2% year-on-year. For on-street charging, Zapmap notes, the LEVI (Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) fund has paid out to many local authorities and plans are taking shape. The past quarter has seen contracts announced across Hampshire, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire among others.

More than 10% of charging hubs across the UK – defined by Zapmap as eight or more rapid or ultra-rapid EV chargers at a single location – were noted in the first half of the year, taking the total number to 1,034.

Alongside this, the highest power band growth is in the ultra-rapid category – delivering charging speeds of 150kW and above – which has seen a 37% year-over-year growth. By contrast, rapid chargers continue to see the lowest growth rate in terms of power bands, suggesting this category is being superseded to a higher power rating for faster charging experiences.

Dig a little deeper into the numbers and a trend becomes apparent. As the industry matures, the use cases narrow. Zapmap notes that destination charging – where people charge when stopped, rather than stop to charge – covers myriad buildings, from retail sites, to restaurants, to gums and theme parks. While under 50KW chargers form the majority in this, there is again a trend towards installing more high-powered chargers.

Ultimately, while the numbers don’t look too encouraging for the purported 300,000 charge points promised by the UK government by 2030, there are caveats.

“At a time of so much activity in the charging industry, it seems counterintuitive that the growth of the charging infrastructure is lower than we have been used to over the past couple of years,” said Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and COO at Zapmap. “This shifting growth landscape reflects a transition from the rush to secure prime locations into the next phase of development, combining more considered expansion and a growing number of network mergers and acquisitions.

“Charge point operators are learning and focusing on what the data shows about EV driver preferences and usage patterns, and we’re seeing this reflected in the numbers.”

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