The UK now has nearly double the number of public electric vehicle chargers compared to fuel pumps, new figures suggest.

Analysis by the Department for Transport (DfT) reveals there are now 116,052 public charging point connectors available across the UK, based on Zapmap data.

In comparison, the estimated number of fuel pumps is 60,802, based on figures showing approximately 8,329 petrol stations with an average of 7.3 positions each.

This milestone is regarded by industry experts as a ‘major tipping point’ indicating that the infrastructure is now scaling faster than EV adoption to provide drivers with greater confidence.

Research by Nissan back in 2019 found there were more EV charging stations than fuel stations in the UK. Although the UK has just under 1,000 public charging locations, that trumped the figure of 8,400 petrol stations at the time.

The new data showing that actual EV chargers significantly outnumber fuel pumps is the latest watershed moment in the UK’s EV switch and has been welcomed by EVA England.

Vicky Edmonds, chief executive officer of the member association championing EV drivers, said: “This milestone shows we’re genuinely moving in the right direction and building the charging network that drivers need to make the switch to electric with confidence.

“More public chargers than fuel pumps is not just a nice benchmark, it reflects huge progress on the ground that EV drivers are feeling. 69% of EV drivers have told EVA England the charging network has improved over the past year, and that growing confidence matters.

“But we shouldn’t stop here. Ensuring reliable, affordable and convenient charging where people live, work and travel is key to helping even more drivers make the transition smoothly.”