Electric vehicle infrastructure is relatively well developed in central London, but the shortage is acute in the suburbs. While in Westminster there are 2.5 electric vehicles for each public charging point, in Dacorum in Hertfordshire the ratio is 57. In Elmbridge, Waverley and Mole Valley in Surrey the ratios are 51, 46 and 45 respectively.
Lucian Cook, of Savills, said places where electric vehicle ownership far exceeds charging stations would have the biggest impact on home values.
He said: “As the gap between the demand for electric cars and public charging stations widens, we can expect that homes with private charging facilities will become more expensive.”
Charles Davenport, of Knight Frank estate agents in Elmbridge, said off-street parking was becoming a deal-breaker for electric car buyers.
He said: “We had a house in Cobham and the couple looking at it had an electric car and they said sorry we can’t because there is no parking on the street and it is absolutely necessary for us.” The biggest shortages of chargers are all in the extensive London commuter belt in the south of England. Other hot spots include Tandridge and Woking in Surrey, as well as Reigate and Banstead, St Albans and Sevenoaks.
In two years, the combined number of electric cars has increased by 176 percent, while the number of charging stations has increased by only 72 percent.
At the end of 2021, there were 14.75 electric vehicles for every charge point in the UK, compared to 6.35 at the end of 2019.
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