Electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the UK is failing to keep up with the rapid growth of the EV fleet, delivering a significant setback to Ed Miliband's ambition to ban new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030. According to experts at Hippo Leasing, public charging availability increased by only 22.8% over the past year, while the number of electric cars on British roads surged by 33%.
Ratio of EVs to Public Chargers Worsens
The imbalance has driven the average number of electric vehicles per public charger from 30.6 to 33.1, meaning more drivers are competing for fewer charging points. Tom Preston, CEO of Hippo Leasing, said: “Businesses across the UK are embracing electric vehicles at a remarkable speed, and our own lease data shows nearly 20% growth in EV business deals in a single year. These cars are being driven day-to-day across every corner of the UK, proving that the corporate green transition is far more widespread than the official postcode maps suggest.”
Charger Installation Slows Despite Growing Demand
Data from ZapMap indicates that the total number of public EV chargers in the UK rose by 13% last year, from 102,771 at the end of 2024 to 116,052 by the end of 2025. However, ZapMap noted a “reduction in the number of chargers installed compared to the previous year,” even though nearly 25,000 devices were added. In May 2026 alone, 874 new chargers were added to the Zapmap platform. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers account for only 23% of the country's total EV charging infrastructure.
Implications for Ed Miliband's ZEV Mandate
The charging shortfall poses a serious challenge for Ed Miliband, who oversees the UK's transition to electric vehicles through the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate. The mandate requires that at least 33% of new cars sold by the end of 2026 be electric. However, car manufacturers and the UK motor industry have called for a review of the ZEV Mandate, arguing that infrastructure has not kept pace with targets.
Express.co.uk has contacted the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero for comment.
