Charging infrastructure remains the main roadblock for fleet adoption of electric vehicles, accounting for three of the top five fleet anxieties according to new data. The 2026 Arval
Charging infrastructure remains the main roadblock for fleet adoption of electric vehicles, accounting for three of the top five fleet anxieties according to new data.
The 2026 Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer shows 41% say there are insufficient chargers – exactly the same percentage as last year – while 41% also report not enough employees have charging solutions at home, a slight increase on 2025’s 39%.
Furthermore, 27% have no charging at their company premises, again a little worse than last year’s report, which showed 25%.
John Peters, head of the Arval Mobility Observatory in the UK, has described the findings as “disappointing”, acknowledging a widespread desire for faster industry progress.
However, Peters urged fleets to consider the broader context, noting that these figures follow a period of exceptionally rapid growth in electric car adoption across UK fleets.
“Clearly, charging capacity on the road, at offices and at homes is increasing quickly all the time and perceived shortfalls are largely a result of increasing demand. It might be more accurate to say that charging remains an issue of proportions.”
There undeniably remain specific problems, he added. For those living in terraced housing or apartments, availability of charging facilities is poor, and while solutions such as pavement gullies are starting to be adopted in a few places, they are not without drawbacks, while the main alternative of public charging often suffers from patchy provision and high prices.
“In our view, these weaknesses in infrastructure probably remain the leading impediment to electrification for most businesses,” Peters said.
Arval’s research launches as a new report from the UK’s charging sector suggests the industry is poised to inject £15.5bn into the economy over the next decade, but growth could be derailed if the Government heeds calls to weaken its EV targets.
The Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer shows that other perceived issues with electric car adoption also persist. Today, 33% believe their purchase price remains higher than an ICE equivalent, compared to 30% in 2025, while 30% report that available model ranges are too limited, versus 23%.
“These findings are surprising. The prices of electric cars continue to fall while the availability of the government’s electric car grant has further improved affordability. In many areas of the market, there is close to price parity with petrol equivalents. Also, while some gaps persist, electric options now exist in almost all sectors of the market and at most price points.”
Only in limited areas are respondents reporting improvements. There is some recognition that car range is becoming less of an issue at 16% today compared to 18% in 2025 while employee resistance against electric car adoption is also falling, at 11% versus 16%.
“It’s certainly good news that fewer company car drivers are now against the idea of going electric, something no doubt aided by the fact that with two million EVs now on UK roads, they are becoming an everyday sight. Also, with ranges of 300 miles and higher becoming common, there are few restraints on mileage,” said Peters.
Finally, results from the UK across almost all the factors covered in the research are within a few points of both European and global averages for the 2026 Arval Mobility Observatory Barometer.
Peters finished: “This suggests the issues we are seeing here are symptomatic of electric car adoption everywhere. Everyone is taking a similar journey.”
Not enough charging points 41%
No charging solutions at employee’s home 41%
Purchase price higher than an ICE car 33%
Limited model choice 30%
No charging points at company offices 27%
Driving range limitations 16%
Employee reluctance to drive electric cars 11%
Total cost of ownership is higher than an ICE car 4%
