EV Charging Index 2025: Expert insights from the UK

By Adam Healy

The UK has risen rapidly up our EV Charging Index, ranking fourth overall in 2025. EV sales continue to grow steadily, although public charging point sufficiency is lower than in some other markets, public charging provision and convenience continue to improve. Cost is an issue, however, with a particularly high proportion of users saying public charging in the UK is too expensive.

EV sales penetration rates rising steadily

In 2024, just over a quarter of new vehicle sales (28%) in the UK were EVs (battery electric and plug-in hybrid). Its sales penetration rate overtook the rates of France and Germany but remains some way behind the rates of some other European countries, such as Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands.

According to our survey, more than half of UK BEV users (53%) chose their vehicle because it costs less to use and maintain than an ICE car. This is more than both the European (43%) and global (47%) averages. To reinforce this, two-thirds of UK BEV users say it is cheaper to fuel a BEV than an ICE car, while 92% are considering a BEV for their next car – both above average in this year’s study. This is despite almost half of respondents saying public charging in the UK is too expensive – the highest of all European countries and second globally.

These findings suggest the UK will continue to build on its strong recent growth in EV adoption.

UK BEV users still relatively ‘early adopter’ in nature

The average annual mileage for a BEV owner in the UK is relatively low. While just 9% of UK BEV users drive more than 20,000 kilometers each year, this figure is 17% in Europe and 19% globally. The caveat here is that average annual mileages (whether for EVs or ICE vehicles) are relatively low in the UK compared with the rest of Europe, but this is still a noteworthy result.

In addition, only 38% of users drive their BEV (almost) every day, versus 44% in Europe and 46% globally.

These findings suggest that current EV users in the UK are still relatively "early adopter" in nature and EVs are yet to be as widely embraced as everyday vehicles compared with some other markets.

Home charging remains popular

Home charging is more prevalent in the UK than many other markets in our survey: Just over three-quarters of BEV users (77%) use a private home charger – considerably more than the European (66%) and global (64%) averages – with another 12% of BEV users using a semi-private home charger (e.g. in the residents' car park of their apartment block)

However, the estimated total share of energy delivered through charging done at home is only ~65%, indicating that those who use home chargers (almost 90%) still do a meaningful share of their charging at work or in public use cases. Similar patterns are observed in Europe and globally.

Public charging continues to improve

Despite their concerns around cost, EV drivers find that the charging experience in the UK continues to improve: 84% of UK BEV users found public charging had become more convenient over the past six months. This is higher than both the European (70%) and global (76%) averages.

A growing share of UK BEV users are satisfied with the speed of public charging facilities. This is a trend mirrored across much of Europe – likely reflecting both the improved charger sufficiency and the growing share of higher-power DC chargers.

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