The vast majority of UK charge point operators are falling short of uptime and compliance requirements, undermining driver confidence in EVs.

Charging platform Monta surveyed more than 200 senior UK charge point operator (CPO) decision-makers to explore challenges in meeting the Government’s Public Charge Point Regulations and the requirement that rapid charge points must be, on average, reliable for 99% of the time during each calendar year.

In the national survey, just 4% of CPOs reported average charger uptime of 99.5% or above; the level most closely aligned with the 99% requirement.

The majority (74%) achieve uptime above 95%, indicating strong progress, but also underlining the challenge of bridging the final percentage points needed to consistently reach the regulatory benchmark.

For many operators, this performance gap raises concerns about the risk of civil penalties of up to £10,000 per charge point, with nearly half (47%) of respondents citing the penalty regime as a major worry.

The research, contained in a new report on The pain points and growth opportunities impacting charge point operators in 2025, also reveals significant visibility gaps across the network. Fewer than one in five CPOs (17%) said they could access key diagnostics such as uptime, charge success rate and user satisfaction on demand. Instead, 40% receive this data only periodically, 33% occasionally and one in 10 (10%) rarely or never have access.

Jon Evans, head of market, UK & Ireland at Monta, said the findings underline the scale of operational, technical and financial pressures facing CPOs as the sector works to adapt to higher regulatory expectations.

He also warned that the results indicate more work is needed for operators to ensure driver trust in charging provision.

“The UK government is right to set ambitious standards for charge point reliability. EV drivers need to know that charging will be available and dependable wherever they travel, and uptime is the cornerstone of that trust. Regulations that focus on the quality of service are essential if we are to accelerate EV adoption and build public confidence.”

When asked which elements of the new regulations they found most challenging, more than half (56%) of CPOs identified the 99% uptime requirement as their single greatest concern, followed by the obligation to provide round-the-clock customer support (47%), the £10,000 penalty risk (47%), lack of government support and funding (44%) and compliance with open data and OCPI standards (42%).

Evans also warned that while operators are investing heavily in charge point rollout, a lack of consistent diagnostic data and a phased approach could see the risk of punitive fines slow rather than encourage progress.

The research makes clear that while the majority of operators are performing well, consistently achieving above 95% uptime, the final stretch to meet the 99% benchmark remains the most difficult. Industry leaders argue that progress is being made, but warn that without a carefully managed transition period, the combination of visibility gaps, technical hurdles and financial penalties could stall investment at a crucial stage of the UK’s EV rollout.

But Evans also said that while the research highlights some concerning gaps, it was also important to recognise the progress being made.

“The majority of operators are achieving uptime above 95%, providing a strong foundation for improvement and showing the industry is moving in the right direction. The Government is right to set ambitious standards, but these must be matched with a fair and practical transition. Achieving near-perfect uptime across diverse networks is an immense technical challenge and significant fines of up to £10,000 per charge point risks discouraging investment when momentum is needed most.”

He concluded: “Ultimately, a phased approach that combines clear targets with the necessary tools, data and collaboration will ensure ambition is balanced with pragmatism, delivering reliability, consumer trust and progress towards climate goals.”