In the last twelve months the number of public devices has increased by 37 % – a total of 7,600 across the UK . This number has increased year on year since 2015 and shows no signs of slowing down . Another big development over the last year is the rise of rapid charging devices , which has grown by a third , equating to 1,276 devices in total . A number which has again , increased every year since 2015 .

A spokesperson for LeaseElectricCar . co . uk said : “ It is clear from the data that there has been growth in every part of the country and when we look back at the previous years it ’ s hard to see this changing .

“ There is no surprise that London comes out top of

the list when it comes to the sheer number of charging devices . But Scotland looks well on its way , with a higher number of rapid chargers per 100,000 than the capital .

“ The electric car market is booming but this means

that there is a requirement at a local level for an increased amount of electric chargers to account for this growth .”

It appears that although the number of charging points is increasing overall there is still a huge gap

between London and the rest of the country .

London currently has the highest concentration of public charging points with 102 per 100,000 of the population . This is 84 more per 100,000 than Northern Ireland and 78 more than

Region

the North west – which could suggest that there will be further developments in these areas during 2022 .

The story is different when it comes to rapid chargers with Scotland being progressive in this area . There are currently

Public charging devices per 100,000 of population

England 43

North East 36

North West 24

Yorkshire and the Humber 26

East Midlands 32

West Midlands 31

East of England 29

London 102

South East 39

South West 35

Wales 33

Scotland 52

Northern Ireland 18

12.9 rapid chargers per 100,000 people in Scotland in comparison to just 8 in London .

The East Midlands saw the greatest amount of growth when it comes to rapid charging devices between 1 October 2021 and 1 January 2022 .

Cash strapped UK motorists could save money this year if they are able to pay their annual vehicle excise duty ( VED ) tax in one single 12-month payment .

The experts at LeaseElectricCar . co . uk have looked at the VED tax rates in recent years and found a lump sum could have saved some car drivers £ 44 over three years that figures were available .

They compared figures from 2018-9 , 2020 and 2021 , to see what drivers needed to pay for standard rate tax in their second

year onwards for a petrol and diesel car . There are different tax rates for brand new cars and older cars .

A spokesman said : “ Based on the current year ’ s figures , people could save around £ 15 by paying their VED tax in one go . It might not sound a lot , but accumulated over several years and the figure becomes even more substantial .

“ The key debate is whether people who are finding their household budgets squeezed are able to find the money to pay their VED tax once a year , but if

they are able to , then savings can be made .”

There are many caveats to what VED tax motorists must pay in the UK , based on the type of vehicle and its age , as well as whether it is seen as a polluting vehicle or kinder to the environment .

From April 2021 , the standard rate of secondary tax was £ 155 for 12 months , and £ 85.25 for six months . The latter figure must be doubled to £ 170.50 for a full year - an extra £ 15.50 a year . Motorists can soften the cost with 12

month direct debits of £ 162.75 - but still lose £ 7.75 a year .

From April 2020 , the standard rate of secondary tax was £ 150 for 12 months , and £ 82.50 for six months . The latter figure must be doubled to £ 165 for a full year - an extra £ 15 a year . Motorists were able to pay with 12 month direct debits of £ 157.50 - but still lose £ 7.50 a year .

Figures published in 2019 showed the standard rate of secondary tax was £ 140 for 12 months , and £ 77 for six months . Doubling the latter to £ 154 a year

for two instalments - an extra £ 14 a year . Motorists were able to pay with a 12 month direct debit of £ 147 - but still lose £ 7 a year .

The total saved from these three examples would be £ 44.50 if drivers were able to pay their VED tax in this banding in one go - the challenge facing people is whether they have the available capital to be able to do this as other living costs continue to rise .

LeaseElectricCar . co . uk