Electric boost: EV chargepoints in the East Midlands grow by 22% in a year

Electric car drivers and those looking to make the switch in the East Midlands can get around with confidence that a chargepoint will be close by, as a further 685 were added to the region in the past year.

On Thursday 24th July, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed there are now 3,792 public chargepoints in the East Midlands – a 22% boost compared to July 2024.

The constant growth of chargepoints means local drivers and those thinking of buying an EV can drive with increased confidence that public chargepoints are just a short drive away.

The new figures follow a recent announcement that drivers will soon enjoy discounts of up to £3,750 on new electric cars, on top of a £25m boost to help more drivers charge at home and save up to £1,500 a year when switching to electric.

Drivers will start to benefit from discounts as soon as manufacturers successfully apply for their zero emission cars, with the scheme open to firms now and funding available until the 2028 to 2029 financial year.

The Government is investing £4.5 billion to make it cheaper and easier to own an EV, while backing British carmakers to create jobs and drive investment – all part of the Plan for Change. This is securing the UK’s position as a world-leader in electric vehicle adoption - with Britain the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and sales up a fifth on the previous year - while helping put more money in people’s pockets.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “Just last week we announced record discounts to help make EV ownership a reality for thousands more people, alongside making it easier to charge at home so more drivers can run their EV for as little as 2p a mile.

“Chargepoint figures show that, alongside lowering upfront costs, we’re also making fantastic progress towards expanding our charging network across the East Midlands, helping put range anxiety firmly in the rear-view mirror.”

The new regional numbers come as national public chargepoint figures hit record levels of more than 82,000 across the UK.

The sustained growth in the charging network in all four corners of the country shows Government is firmly on the side of drivers, coming on top of a record £1.6 billion to tackle potholes and keeping the 5p fuel duty freeze until spring 2026, saving the average motorist between £50 and £60 a year.