A new policy report from consumer champion Which? warns that unlocking the next phase of electric vehicle (EV) adoption will require a relentless focus on the day-to-day driver experience underpinned by robust data-gathering.
Titled "Charging ahead: a driver-centric approach to public EV charging", the report shares detailed findings from our Zapmap Annual Charging Survey Report and highlights that while the UK’s transition to electric mobility is accelerating rapidly, a home charging divide risks slowing down future growth.
The rapid rise of electric driving
The report underscores just how mainstream electric transport has become in the UK. As of March 2026, there were more than two million fully electric cars on UK roads, heavily driven by a strong performance in 2025 where electric models accounted for over 23% of all new car sales.
In fact, Which? estimates that on an average day, more people now travel by EV than by train. This shift is backed by high driver satisfaction among early adopters, with 95% of current EV owners stating they are likely or very likely to recommend an electric vehicle to their friends and family. Furthermore, broader consumer interest is rising; 54% of all drivers now say they would consider purchasing an EV in the future, up from 50% the previous year.
However, the report cautions that high average satisfaction figures obscure structural challenges facing those who cannot charge at home.
Bridging the home charging divide
An individual’s experience with an EV is likely to be shaped by whether they have access to dedicated off-street parking. Currently, 81% of EV drivers have access to their own home charger. Yet, approximately 10 million households across Great Britain lack any potential for off-street parking, with high concentrations in terraced streets, housing estates, and densely populated urban areas.
This creates a clear divide in both cost and convenience:
- The cost gap: drivers who charge at home pay an average of 10p to 28p/kWh. In contrast, those relying entirely on the public network face costs of 54p/kWh or higher.
- The sentiment gap: while 43% of drivers with driveways say they would not consider an EV, that figure jumps to 60% for those without a driveway.
Even for those fortunate enough to charge at home, the public network remains highly relevant. Around 49% of EV drivers use public chargers at least once a month, and another 28% rely on them during peak travel periods such as holidays.
A call for action and smarter data
To ensure the public network is seamless and trusted, Which? is calling for a robust strategy to collect data on the EV driver experience at state level. It highlights that the current DfT tracker only surveys 1,000 EV drivers annually and features a travel diary completed by just 80 individuals.
To replace recall bias with real-time accuracy, Which? recommends implementing continuous, modern data collection—such as app-based spot-sampling. Capturing the contemporaneous experiences of motorists right as they complete or abandon a charging session will give policymakers a transparent framework to measure actual driver satisfaction and enforce accountability.
The report further calls for government and regulator action in three key areas:
- Lowering costs: tackle the underlying causes driving up the cost of public charging.
- Clearer wayfinding: significantly improve the physical signage of EV charge points across the country.
- Financial transparency: engage with the financial sector to accelerate the return of pre-authorisation funds to banking cards.
For the transition to succeed, public charging must become as reliable, straightforward, and stress-free as refuelling a petrol or diesel car. By placing the driver's perspective at the centre of infrastructure policy, the UK can build a network truly fit for everyone.
