The UK ranks third best for electric vehicles in Europe, with EVs more affordable than ever for drivers – but access to public charging is still a significant barrier to EV adoption.

The UK is ranked third in the EV Readiness Index after Norway and the Netherlands, due to high scores in EV registrations and government incentives

The findings come from LeasePlan’s 2022 EV Readiness Index – a comprehensive analysis of the preparedness of 22 European countries for the electric vehicle transition.

The Index is based on three factors: EV registrations, the maturity of EV infrastructure, and government incentives in each country.

The UK comes in third after Norway and the Netherlands, due to high scores in EV registrations and government incentives. The research found that EVs are more affordable than ever for UK drivers, with a range of tax benefits and subsidies helping to bring the total cost of ownership down.

But access to public charge points remains a significant barrier to adoption, with all countries, including the UK, scoring very low in this category.

And UK provision of fast chargers along motorways was found to be significantly lower than needed.

Alfonso Martinez, managing director of LeasePlan UK, commented: “EV sales have skyrocketed in the last two years, with battery models now accounting for almost one in five new vehicle registrations. More than ever, drivers are choosing to go electric as they look to reduce their carbon footprint and bring travel costs down. Yet, the severe shortage of public chargers we’re facing here in the UK is now undermining all this good work. It is still a nightmare to charge!”

Martinez has called on the Government to deliver on its promise in the recent Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy to invest £1.6bn to expand the UK’s charging network.

“With only 30,000 charge points available at present, most of them in towns and cities, there is a huge risk that drivers who want to go EV will be too scared to make the switch. We need greater access to reliable and affordable public charge points now, not just in 2030, and these need to be highly visible so that tomorrow’s EV drivers can make the switch with confidence.”

It’s not only the UK where charging infrastructure is still lagging, and LeasePlan’s 2022 Index says charging infrastructure across Europe is not meeting demands, creating a charging shortage as EV registrations rapidly increase. This highlights the urgent need for governments to invest in a robust and reliable public charging infrastructure.

Other key findings across Europe from LeasePlan’s 2022 research include:

• EV uptake increased significantly in almost all markets. This reflects the increasing popularity of EVs across European countries as more models become available in every segment
• EVs are more affordable than ever. Cost competitiveness is mostly driven by comparatively lower energy prices for EVs (especially when compared to increased diesel and petrol fuel prices) and more beneficial taxation arrangements for EV drivers
• Norway ranked highest in terms of EV readiness, Czech Republic and Poland ranked lowest, and Greece had the most improved score compared to 2021