Which? survey shows 73% have experienced faulty public charger

According to a  survey by Which?, three-quarters (73%) of respondents said they have experienced a faulty public charger at least once in the last 12 months, while nearly four in 10 (37%) rated it difficult to find a working charger at all.

Overall, more than two-thirds (69%) have reported being unhappy with UK’s public charging network.

Of EV and PHEV drivers who have used public chargers in the past, a quarter (25%) said cost is the primary reason they have since stopped using them. PHEV owners are more likely to be put off by cost - half (48%) felt that public charge points are too expensive, while the same was only true for a third (33%) of EV drivers.

Some drivers also found charge points confusing and difficult to use, with one in five (21%) EV drivers and a quarter (25%) PHEV drivers reporting this. A quarter (23% EV and 24% PHEV%) of both EV and PHEV drivers found the payment methods on offer inconvenient.

Nearly nine in 10 (85%) drivers who used public chargers said they would prefer to pay by contactless bank or debit card, but many charging points still require payment through an app.

Around six in 10 owners (63%) who used public chargers also found it difficult to compare prices between chargepoint operators.

Four in 10 (41%) of EV and PHEV owners said they only use the public charging network every few months or less, with a quarter (25%) saying they have never used a public charging point.

A similar proportion said they did not need to use public chargers, with more than nine in 10 (96%) EV and PHEV owners opting to charge their car at home at least some of the time. However, Which? is concerned that charging at home will not be an option for many people looking to make the switch to EVs, which is why the network needs to be improved.

The government introduced rules late last year to increase pricing transparency, reliability and contactless payments for charge points by the end of 2024. This is a step in the right direction and consumers must see tangible improvements as soon as possible.

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: “We know that people want to make more sustainable choices and switch to an electric vehicle, but many drivers have a lack of confidence in the public charging infrastructure, and this also risks alienating people who aren’t able to charge their EVs at home.

“It is positive that the government passed new rules that should see improvements in consumers' experiences of the public charging network. The government and chargepoint operators must continue working together to ensure the UK’s charging infrastructure is up to scratch. Charging must be easy and reliable to support more people to make the move to an electric car.”