Electric Vehicles Face a Charging Crisis in Northern England
Looks like the North has been left in the dark—literally. Department of Transport reports that the number of charging points per 100,000 residents has dipped across several northern regions since January 2025.
Region‑by‑Region Breakdown
- North East: 95 points per 100,000
- North West: Only 69 points per 100,000
- Yorkshire & Humber: 66 points per 100,000
- London: A whopping 263 points per 100,000
- Scotland: 123 points per 100,000
- Wales: 104 points per 100,000
- North Ireland: A mere 35 points per 100,000
Fast Chargers: Where’s the Power?
Even London, the electric capital, is struggling with fast chargers. Only 15 fast chargers (50kW+) per 100,000 people—even fewer than North Ireland’s 10. Most UK stations are slow‑poke 3kW‑8kW units that line up on residential streets.
LeaseLoco’s Take
“The latest figures show some major discrepancies across the UK,” says a Glasgow‑based spokesman from LeaseLoco, the nation’s leading car‑lease comparison site. “London is far ahead, but that advantage isn’t a game‑changer if drivers elsewhere can’t trust there’ll be a charger waiting when they roll out of town.”
He warns that a patchy charging network is a real deterrent for EV adoption.
- “Untimely infrastructure is a sluggish‑down factor for demand.”
- “Planners need a UK‑wide view when adding new public chargers.”
What’s Next?
The data reveals a national dip of four percent across the UK in the first quarter of 2025, yet a slight uptick in total chargers (3,173 more), mostly in London. However, the numbers are far from even.
LeaseLoco hopes that standardising charging provision will put the ‘hurried’ drivers back on the road—and not just in London.
For now, keep an eye on those green ports and remember: a charger is good, but a reliable one is unbeatable!
