Does London Have The Lowest Number Of Rapid EV Charge Points?
Not all EV (electric vehicle) charge points are the same. Applegarth Engineering installs a range of EV charging points. The main differentiating factor is speed to full charge. There are standard or rapid EV charge points. Rapid charge points have a high power output, and therefore a quicker charge time. To be classed as a rapid EV charge point it has to have an output of more than 43kW. Mapping by Esri UK suggests just 8% off all the EV charging points across London met the criteria to be classified as a rapid charging point for electric vehicles. Leeds is currently top of the list provided by Esri UK with 43% off all charge points across the city being rapid charge points.
Esri UK
Esri UK provides mapping and location data. They gathered data from Open Charge Map which shows charging locations across London, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bradford, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Sam Bark – Cartographer at Esri UK – “We wanted to examine the current landscape and see where the EV charge points are located but also the proportion of rapid EV chargers, which can offer a lot more convenience to drives. Mapping is a powerful way of visualising data as it brings it to life, revealing patterns and trends that would otherwise lay hidden. There is a lot of information about the growth of electric vehicle use and the charging infrastructure is growing all the time but unless it’s examined spatially it doesn’t really mean much. By mapping the data and applying city boundaries, it became clear where each city is in terms of developing its charging infrastructure. Visual if data in this way allows organisations to share information, understand a situation more clearly and make better decisions.”
Is The Data Accurate?
London does have the most charging points of all British cities. The data Esri UK gathered from Open Charge Map states there are 184 charging stations in London whereas Transport for London claims they provided 232. The data does not include charging points that cannot be accessed by the general public such as those at commercial sites for employees or private homes.
Christina Calderato – Head of Transport Strategy at Transport For London – “The capital currently has more than 400 rapid charging points, of which we provided 232. This number means it leads the way with more EV charge points than other UK cities and international equivalents. To help people make the transition to zero-emission vehicles, it is vital that there are more charging points outside their homes to allow them to power their vehicle overnight, with rapid charging points essential for professional drivers, such as taxi and private hire drivers or those that work in the freight sector.”
Get In Touch
Applegarth Engineering specialises in the installation of EV chargers in Cheshire, Chester, Wirral and Liverpool for homeowners and businesses. Call us on 0151 645 8350 or email our team at info@applegarth.co.uk.
