Ultra-rapid public charging devices in the UK now outnumber rapid devices for the first time, according to statistics published by Zapmap on 3 July 2025 covering the first six months of the year. The total number of ultra-rapid devices, rated at 150kW and above, rose by almost 23 per cent to 8,619, against 8,079 rapid devices rated 50kW to 149kW1.
Zapmap, which describes itself as the UK's leading charge point mapping and data service, said 8,670 new charge points were installed in the first half of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 27 per cent. The public network now covers 82,369 devices (110,486 EVSEs) at 40,479 locations1.
Ultra-rapid devices accounted for 1,598 additions in the six months, or 18 per cent of all installations. Charging hubs, defined as six or more rapid or ultra-rapid devices at a single location, grew fastest of all, with 136 installed in the half year bringing the UK total to 673, a year-on-year rise of 74.35 per cent1.
Lower-powered devices still make up the bulk of the network. Some 65,671 charge points are classed as low-powered, meaning slow or fast units below 50kW, representing just under 80 per cent of the total. On-street devices, which fall within that grouping and are designed for overnight charging, saw 3,709 additions to reach 29,227, of which 20,490 are in Greater London1.
| Power rating | June 2024 | Dec 2024 | June 2025 | Year-on-year growth | Year-to-date growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow / Fast (under 50kW) | 52,224 | 59,228 | 65,671 | 25.75% | 10.88% |
| Rapid (50kW to 149kW) | 7,135 | 7,450 | 8,079 | 13.21% | 8.44% |
| Ultra-rapid (150kW+) | 5,416 | 7,021 | 8,619 | 59.14% | 22.76% |
| Charging hubs | 386 | 537 | 673 | 74.35% | 25.33% |
| Total | 64,775 | 73,699 | 82,369 | 27.16% | 11.76% |
Source: Zapmap database, 30 June 20251
Growth in on-street charging outside London outpaced the capital. London saw an increase of under 11 per cent in the first six months, while the rest of the UK rose from 7,106 on-street chargers at the end of December to 8,737 at the end of June, an increase of more than 25 per cent1.
Jade Edwards, Head of Insights at Zapmap, said:
"Meanwhile, we're now beginning to see LEVI funding awards feeding through the system, offering the 40% of people who do not have access to off-street parking increased opportunities to charge close to home and benefit from driving electric."
Why it matters for households
For a household without a driveway, the public network is the only route to running an electric car, and the shape of that network determines how long a charging stop takes and how far a journey can be planned around it. The shift towards ultra-rapid devices matters most for longer trips, where a stop at 150kW or above is a different proposition from a longer wait on a 50kW unit. The EV charging speeds and times guide sets out what the different power ratings deliver in practice.
The on-street figures speak to a different group: the roughly 40 per cent of households without off-street parking, cited by Zapmap, who cannot charge at home overnight. On-street units are low-powered by design, suited to a car parked for hours rather than a quick top-up. Growth outside London, at more than 25 per cent against under 11 per cent in the capital, suggests the gap between London's concentration of 20,490 on-street chargers and the rest of the UK is narrowing, though London still holds the large majority.
Cost remains a dividing line between charging at home and charging in public. The public charging VAT page explains why the rate differs from domestic supply. Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, said the government could support the sector by equalising VAT on public charging to five per cent, addressing standing charges and extending the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation to EV charging1. No change to any of those has been reported.
What happens next
Zapmap reports 80 LEVI funding projects underway, 19 of them open to tender. Announced partnerships in the second quarter include char.gy with Brighton and Hove City Council for over 6,000 on-street chargers, Suffolk County Council's £5.3 million LEVI award with operator Believ for around 6,000 charge points, and Barnet Council's plan with char.gy for 500 on-street charge points within three months and 500 more within three years, 60 per cent funded by the predecessor ORCS scheme1. The workplace charging scheme is a separate route to charging away from home.
Sources1 cited
- Zapmap Statistics for H1 2025 vF.docx, zap-map.com