Electric vehicle public charging network not fit for purpose, Which? finds

More than two-thirds (69%) of electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle owners who have used the UK’s public charging network have reported being unhappy with it in a Which? survey – suggesting the UK’s current infrastructure is not fit for purpose.

The consumer champion is supportive of drivers being able to switch to electric vehicles to reduce their environmental impact and benefit from potential for lower running costs but is concerned that the government and chargepoint operators have more work to do before consumers can feel fully confident in making the switch to EVs. 

Of EV and PHEV drivers who have used public chargers in the past, a quarter (25%) said cost is the primary reason they have since stopped using them. PHEV owners are more likely to be put off by cost - half (48%) felt that public charge points are too expensive, while the same was only true for a third (33%) of EV drivers.

Reliability of public charge points is also an issue. Three-quarters (73%) of survey respondents said they have experienced a faulty public charger at least once in the last 12 months, while nearly four in 10 (37%) rated it difficult to find a working charger at all.

Some drivers also found charge points confusing and difficult to use, with one in five (21%) EV drivers and a quarter (25%) PHEV drivers reporting this. A quarter (23% EV and 24% PHEV%) of both EV and PHEV drivers found the payment methods on offer inconvenient.

Nearly nine in 10 (85%) drivers who used public chargers said they would prefer to pay by contactless bank or debit card, but many charging points still require payment through an app. 

One Which? member said: “One charger wanted me to use an app and would not accept just a credit card. I did not have the app and (had) low signal, so couldn’t download it.”

Another said: “The infrastructure is dismal. It should be as easy to charge a car as it is to buy petrol. It is infinitely more complex with different systems, paying methods, limited access and non-functioning chargers."

Around six in 10 owners (63%) who used public chargers also found it difficult to compare prices between chargepoint operators.

Four in 10 (41%) of EV and PHEV owners said they only use the public charging network every few months or less, with a quarter (25%) saying they have never used a public charging point. 

A similar proportion said they had no need to use public chargers, with more than nine in 10 (96%) EV and PHEV owners opting to charge their car at home at least some of the time. However, Which? is concerned that charging at home will not be an option for many people looking to make the switch to EVs, which is why the network needs to be improved.

In order for more drivers to make the transition to electric and hybrid vehicles from petrol and diesel options, they need confidence to rely on the public charging infrastructure and payment systems that are simpler to use.

The government introduced rules late last year to increase pricing transparency, reliability and contactless payments for charge points by the end of 2024. This is a step in the right direction and consumers must see tangible improvements as soon as possible. 

The number and location of charge points also remains a major issue for drivers. The government needs to urgently work with chargepoint operators to support the rollout of new chargepoints so that consumers have the confidence to make the switch to electric vehicles. Progress is also needed on long-standing proposals to launch a Rapid Charging Fund. The government must work with local authorities and the private sector to support the roll out of the charging infrastructure.

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: 

“We know that people want to make more sustainable choices and switch to an electric vehicle, but many drivers have a lack of confidence in the public charging infrastructure, and this also risks alienating people who aren’t able to charge their EVs at home. 

“It is positive that the government passed new rules that should see improvements in consumers' experiences of the public charging network. The government and chargepoint operators must continue working together to ensure the UK’s charging infrastructure is up to scratch. Charging must be easy and reliable to support more people to make the move to an electric car.”

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

• In November 2023, Which? conducted a survey of 1,004 members of its Connect Panel who own at least one EV or PHEV.

• For contactless payments, the government’s regulations require that all new public charge points 8kW and above deployed after 24th November 2024 and all public charge points of 50kW and above must offer contactless payment.

• The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) is a proposed government fund that will enable a comprehensive ultra-rapid charging network by funding prohibitively expensive grid connections. The government expects the private sector to deliver charge points, but under the scheme it would fund non-commercially viable costs of future-proofing grid capacity e.g. upgrading grid connections.

Case studies: 

Dale Nursten, a Chief Financial Officer living in West Sussex, has been an EV owner since 2016. He drives a Kia EV6. Dale is diligent when it comes to charging his vehicle at home, in fear of the public charging network, which he said feels “a bit like the wild west”.

He told Which?: "I am lucky in that I can charge at home overnight using Octopus, who have a very low competitive rate for charging between 11:30pm and 5:30am. However, I can attest to the fact that it feels a bit like the wild west when charging on the road. It can be challenging to locate working chargers that are not being used. You often find yourself having to register and download different apps depending on who the charging provider is and the prices per kWh can be very expensive.

"What I would like to see is more available, well signposted rapid charging stations that are as easy to find as the current petrol station. I also think that the government should start monitoring the prices being charged and respond to market abuses like they do with petrol prices."

Ken, an engineer from Fife, doesn't currently own an EV and is concerned about making the switch. He commutes 260 miles each way every week.

He told Which?: “My weekly commute is mainly motorway with a 10-minute toilet/coffee stop half-way.  I’m in a hurry and can’t wait to charge my car on the way.  The motorway service station at my halfway point had, until recently, only two chargers and they were usually occupied when I stopped. I have nowhere to charge at home, the nearest charger is 3 miles away. At my work destination there’s also no nearby public charging, except a supermarket car park with exorbitant parking fees for a stay longer than 90 minutes.

“I’m not against having an EV, but the technology doesn’t yet meet my needs. What would convince me to change? There would have to be on-street charging within 50 yards of home and work, with a cost of ‘fuel' around 12p per mile. I’d also want to be able to pay for charging with a contactless card rather than having to download an app."

Additional verbatim quotes from Which?’s survey: 

• “The general infrastructure is absolutely useless and totally inadequate for mass population switching to EV use. There are not enough, the pricing is excessive and they are unreliable…”

• “Required an app to be downloaded but there was no phone signal near the charger, so I couldn’t download the app. Luckily I had some charge left so I went somewhere else.”
  
  

• “…[I] find the whole charging situation to be too confusing… it causes too much anxiety to make long journeys. I can’t spend over an hour at a service station in a wheelchair with my dogs”