Zapmap has published figures showing that more than 115,000 public electric vehicle chargers were available across the UK as of January 2026. The same dataset records 26,557 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers, at 6,673 locations1.
The numbers appear in a Zapmap guide to common misconceptions about electric cars, updated on 8 May 2026, which uses the charger count to answer the claim that there are not enough chargepoints. Zapmap states that the industry has committed billions of pounds to further investment in the network, and points to its own electric vehicle charging device statistics page for detailed figures1.
The guide also sets out charging and emissions figures that bear on how a home's electricity supply is used. It states that in early 2023 more UK electricity came from wind farms than from gas, and that in May 2024, 55% of electricity was from zero-carbon sources. It reports that 80% of EV owners use off-peak, renewable electricity tariffs for home charging, citing Zapmap's annual survey of EV drivers1.
On lifetime emissions, the guide cites International Council on Clean Transportation figures that an EV pays off its initial carbon debt within approximately 11,000 miles when driven in Europe, and that its total lifetime CO2 emissions are roughly 68% lower than those of an average petrol car. A 2023 Carbon Brief analysis cited in the same guide found that a Tesla Model Y driven in the UK would pay off its carbon debt after about 13,000 miles, producing 14 tonnes of CO2 over 14 years against 45 tonnes from an average petrol car1.
| Measure | Figure given |
|---|---|
| Public EV chargers, UK, January 2026 | More than 115,000 |
| Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers | 26,557 |
| Locations with rapid or ultra-rapid chargers | 6,673 |
| EV owners using off-peak renewable tariffs for home charging | 80% |
| Zero-carbon share of electricity, May 2024 | 55% |
The guide does not break the charger total down by nation, region, operator or charging speed, and no separate date is given for when the 115,000 figure was first reached. Zapmap's public EV charging guidance covers how networks, payment and access rules work in practice, and its Zapmap page covers finding and paying at chargepoints.
Why it matters for households
A larger public network changes the calculation for a household weighing up an electric car against a petrol or diesel one, because it reduces reliance on charging at home alone. For a home with off-street parking, the guide's figure that 80% of EV owners use off-peak renewable tariffs indicates that timing home charging to cheaper overnight periods is common practice, which shifts demand away from peak hours1.
The rapid and ultra-rapid subset, 26,557 devices at 6,673 locations, is the part of the network that supports longer journeys rather than routine local charging. Households without off-street parking depend on public charging for all their mileage, so the density of that network, not just its total size, determines how practical an electric car is. The published figures do not show how that density varies between urban and rural areas.
The emissions figures speak to the wider question of how much a home's energy use contributes to its carbon footprint. The claim that an EV pays off its manufacturing carbon debt within roughly 11,000 miles in Europe, and about 13,000 miles for a Tesla Model Y in the UK, depends on the grid mix at the time of charging. Zapmap's figures on wind generation and zero-carbon sources describe that mix at particular points, not as a permanent condition1.
What happens next
No further charger rollout targets, installation dates or funding commitments are given in the published material beyond the statement that billions of pounds have been committed to future investment1.