Electric vehicle sales are double what they were a year ago according to the Society of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers & Traders, but the group warns that public charge point roll out is failing to keep pace with rising demand.
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Latest figures show that battery electric vehicles currently account for 18.8% of new registrations. This compares to a market share of 9.1% in November last year and just 3% in 2019.
When sales of hybrid electric vehicles are added, more than a quarter of the new car market during 2021 has been at least partially electrified, the statistics show.
“Appetite for electric vehicles has never been higher,” remarked SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes who said this is good for the industry, consumers and the environment.
However research by the group indicates that the ratio of public charge points to electric vehicles is on the decline. In the last year just one on street public charger has been installed for every 52 plug in cars registered, it found.
“Making Britain a net zero nation means convincing everyone, wherever they live, that an electric car can meet their needs. Those who can’t have their own home charge point need the confidence that they can still charge as conveniently as they can refuel,” said Mike Hawes. “A deteriorating ratio of public charge points to cars will drain that confidence.”
The research also shows significant regional disparities in the current provision of public chargers with London enjoying a cars to chargers ratio of 10:1 while the east of England has the lowest availability of charging facilities with a 49:1 ratio.
SMMT is calling on the Government to boost the provision of public charging infrastructure through the introduction of new binding targets for roll out.
Motoring group the RAC’s director of electric vehicles Sarah Winward-Kotecha commented: “It seems certain that 2021 will go down on record as a stellar year for the electric car revolution.”
But she added: “The new registration figures once again emphasise the importance of a fit for purpose public charging network that grows in line with the rise in EVs so that mid-trip charging is never a problem. Next year we’ll almost certainly surpass one million electric cars on the roads which will further heighten the need for fast and efficient charging away from home.”
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