Consumers plagued by electric vehicle charger availability

Keeping up with the latest electric vehicle (EV) trends is a global challenge, but with disruption rife and electrification becoming a highly volatile industry, the UK may have to prevent a new pandemic from taking shape.

First it was range anxiety that plagued consumers in their efforts to switch their petrol and diesel cars for more sustainable electric ones, but ‘charge rage’ has appeared in the news as an issue across the country. 

Despite electrification rapidly evolving and chargers and EVs popping across more economically developed countries, there seems to be a struggle in the UK when it comes to finding a place to plug in. 

Electrified vehicles are taking the helm

While the overall number of car sales is decreasing, EVs are taking a significant share of the market as more and more consumers are switching. However, the world is not yet fully equipped for a fully-electric mobility network despite rapid adoption of charging stations. 

The need to charge is causing havoc with consumers who are fighting for space to charge their cars. In the most serious cases, some drivers have been known to unplug other peoples’ cars in order to charge their own. 

Charger rage is said to be a result of range anxiety. Because of the combination of shorter range—in comparison to an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle—and the length of time it takes to charge, consumers have found it stressful travelling longer distances in their EVs. As pressures mount and more drivers purchase EVs, the constraints of the current charging network have become more apparent and drivers are fighting for their place at charging stations. 

While there is no quick fix, this shows that the EV industry is at a significant turning point and could shape the next 12 months of electrification as more chargers are required to meet the needs of a changing automotive landscape. 

GRIDSERVE records significant number of charger installations in 2022

Having spent some time discussing EV charging with Sam Clarke, Chief Vehicle Officer at GRIDSERVE Sustainable Energy Limited, there are great developments taking place in the UK, of which GRIDSERVE is at the forefront. 

“Our rollout is largely separated by three prongs. One is to continually upgrade the service station provisions while putting in more hubs at those sites, but also in additional sites as well as building a number of forecourts,” says Clarke. 

Towards the end of 2022, the company highlighted the scale of its operations and the achievements that have already been made in the UK to expand the charging network, surpassing a major milestone of 100 High Power charger installations in that year. 

“We are thrilled to open four awesome Electric Super Hubs and mark a milestone of 100 High Power chargers this year,” said Toddington Harper, CEO of GRIDSERVE, in December. 

“Now in 12 Moto locations, the quicker we can roll out Electric Super Hubs across the UK, the quicker drivers will feel confident to switch to EVs with reliable and easy charging across the country. We look forward to continuing to deliver the next 100 High Power Chargers across our Electric Highway.