The Electric Highway Is Coming: Are Britain’s Roads Ready for the EV Boom?
The UK is racing toward a 2035 deadline when the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned. On paper, it sounds ambitious — progressive, even. But ask any electric vehicle (EV) driver outside a major city, and you’ll get the same frustrated response: “Where the hell am I supposed to charge?”
So, is Britain actually ready for this EV revolution, or are we all about to get stuck halfway to Cornwall?
EV Adoption Is Surging — But Infrastructure Isn’t
As of early 2025, there are over 1 million EVs on UK roads. Sales of battery electric vehicles have jumped year-on-year, making up roughly 20% of new car sales. The public wants EVs — no question. But the infrastructure to support them? That’s lagging far behind.
Charging stations are being installed, but not evenly. London is swimming in options, with over 15,000 public chargers. Meanwhile, entire stretches of rural Scotland, Wales, and the Midlands are virtual black holes. If you’re road-tripping across the UK in an EV, good luck finding a fast charger outside the M25 without a map, a backup plan, and possibly a portable charger.
The Real Bottleneck: Our National Grid
Here’s the dirty secret most people don’t know: It’s not about electricity supply. The UK actually produces enough electricity — for now. The real issue lies in local grid capacity. Even if you stick a 350kW charger in a car park, it doesn’t help if the substation down the street can’t handle it.
And that’s not a quick fix. Upgrading grid infrastructure takes years — planning permission, government sign-offs, funding, delays. The problem is buried under bureaucracy while demand keeps rising.
Public Charging: A Two-Tier System
Roughly 40% of UK drivers don’t have a driveway or garage. That means they can’t install home chargers and are completely reliant on public infrastructure. These are often the same people who:
- Live in flats or rented housing
- Use street parking
- Can’t afford a Tesla with long range
So while homeowners in the suburbs enjoy cheap overnight charging, everyone else is stuck queueing at overpriced public chargers — assuming they’re working at all.
Private Sector to the Rescue?
Companies like Gridserve, BP Pulse, InstaVolt, and Osprey are building out fast-charging hubs, often linked to motorway service stations. Gridserve’s Electric Forecourts are genuinely impressive — solar-powered, battery-backed, with coffee shops and Wi-Fi. But they’re still few and far between.
Meanwhile, lamppost charging and kerbside solutions like Ubitricity (Shell-owned) are being trialled in places like London and Oxford — but progress is painfully slow. Councils are dragging their feet, funding is patchy, and rollout is inconsistent.
What About the Government?
The UK government loves to make big promises: £1.6 billion for the EV Infrastructure Strategy, rapid chargers at every motorway service area, and “10 times more chargers by 2030.”
Reality? Many of those chargers are years away. Planning red tape, contractor shortages, and unclear incentives are gumming up the works.
And don’t forget: the 2035 deadline was originally 2030 — but was pushed back because, surprise surprise, we weren’t ready.
Looking Ahead: Hope on the Horizon?
There is innovation happening:
- Milton Keynes is testing wireless charging roads for buses (and maybe cars soon).
- Nottingham has piloted V2G (vehicle-to-grid) systems for smart charging.
- Lamp post chargers are finally scaling — albeit slowly.
- EV charging subscription models are popping up to lower costs for frequent users.
But unless something shifts — fast — we’re heading toward a future where EVs are only viable for the wealthy or the lucky. Everyone else? They’ll be stuck, quite literally.
The Bottom Line
The electric highway is coming. The cars are ready. The people are ready.
But the UK’s roads, grid, and public infrastructure? Not even close.
Until we treat EV infrastructure with the same urgency as HS2 or broadband rollouts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.