UK charging rollout must accelerate to meet 2030 EV targets, Addison Lee warns
- Perry Richardson
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
The UK will need to more than double the number of electric vehicle charge points installed each year to remain on track for its 2030 targets, according to new data from Zapmap, prompting fresh warnings from fleet operators about the practical barriers to electrification.
Commenting on the figures, Patrick Gallagher, chief operating officer of Addison Lee, said the data reflected the reality facing drivers and commercial fleets across the country, with charging infrastructure failing to keep pace with policy ambition.
Gallagher said EV adoption depended on charging being affordable, reliable and rolled out at speed, conditions he argued were not yet being met. He pointed to London as a key example, where around 28,000 public charge points are currently available, roughly half of the estimated 60,000 expected to be needed by 2030.
For fleet operators, he said the challenge was compounded by rising public charging costs, uneven geographic coverage and uncertainty over government policy. He also highlighted concern over the wider incentives environment, including the introduction of new road tax rules affecting electric vehicles.
Zapmap data shows annual charge point installations need to more than double as fleet operators cite rising costs and policy uncertainty
Addison Lee has previously positioned electrification as a core part of its long term strategy, but Gallagher warned that the combination of higher operating costs and unclear policy signals was making full fleet electrification increasingly difficult to deliver at scale.
The Zapmap data adds to growing pressure on government and local authorities to accelerate infrastructure deployment as the 2030 deadline for ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars approaches. Industry groups have repeatedly warned that lagging infrastructure risks slowing uptake among both private motorists and commercial operators.
Gallagher said that without policy certainty, a stable incentives framework and a charging network designed to support commercial fleets as well as private drivers, the UK risked falling short of its targets, with ambition moving faster than delivery.
Patrick Gallagher, COO of Addison Lee said:“This latest data underlines the reality drivers are facing on the ground. EV adoption depends on charging infrastructure being affordable, reliable and rolled out at pace - and right now it isn’t.
“London is only halfway to what it needs: nearly 28,000 public charge points today versus around 60,000 expected by 2030.
“For fleet operators like Addison Lee, rising public charging costs, uneven geographic coverage, mixed policy signals and broader uncertainty around the wider EV incentives environment, including the new road tax - are combining to make full electrification increasingly difficult, despite our long-standing commitment to EVs.
“If the government wants to hit its 2030 targets, it needs policy certainty, a stable incentives framework, and a charging network that works for commercial fleets as well as private drivers - or we risk ambition outpacing delivery.”
