PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(9 June 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to questions 176 to 178 of the oral evidence given to the Transport Committee on 29 April 2026, HC 1593, on Supercharging the EV transition, how many petrol pumps there are in the UK; and how many and what proportion of public EV charging points are capable of delivering an 80 per cent charge in less than 20 minutes to a vehicle capable of receiving the maximum charge.

Asked by:
Rebecca Smith (Conservative)

The Department for Transport has produced an estimate of 60,802 for the number of fuel pumps using available industry data. The methodology is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/comparing-fuel-pumps-to-electric-vehicle-public-chargers/comparing-fuel-pumps-to-electric-vehicle-public-chargers

Currently, there are 121,262 public EV chargers in the UK.

As of 1 April, there were 12,921 public “ultra‑rapid” EV chargers in the UK, representing 11% of all public chargers. Industry calculations from Zapmap estimate that ultra-rapid chargers are capable of charging a typical EV battery from 20% to 80% in 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the battery size and efficiency.

The transition to EVs will involve a shift in the way people fuel their vehicles. Rather than having to visit a fuelling station away from their homes, the majority of people will charge up on their own driveways or on their local streets overnight, meaning slower chargers are most likely to be suitable in most circumstances. They are also cheaper to use.

Answered by:
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