The UK government’s recent announcement of an additional £63 million investment in public charging infrastructure marks a pivotal moment in the national EV transition, signalling the government’s commitment to accelerating access to residential charging.
But as with all meaningful transformation, speed is only part of the story. Scale, equity, and intelligence matter just as much. Because the question local authorities are grappling with isn’t simply how to roll out more charge points - it’s where, when, and how many. And in 2025, we no longer need to rely on guesswork or outdated census data to answer that question.
Why data-driven planning matters
The EV adoption curve is rising fast. EVs made up 22% of new car sales in the UK in the first six months of the year, and the recent revival of the Electric Car Grant should help boost sales further toward the government’s year-end target of EVs accounting for 28% of total new car sales. But rising demand must be met with reliable infrastructure, or we risk bottlenecks, uneven rollout, and public frustration and lost confidence.
That’s where predictive analytics come in. Tools like char.gy’s demand planning platform equip councils with street-level insights, transforming raw data on vehicle adoption trends, housing types, street parking availability and driver behaviour into clear forecasts of where charging will be needed next, often before demand becomes visible.
Case Study: Spotting hidden hotspots
Consider the case of a forward-thinking suburban council. Although EV adoption was initially low, data flagged a rise in terraced housing with no off-street parking—a demographic poised for rapid EV uptake. Armed with this insight, the council pre-emptively installed charge points, avoiding demand spikes and ensuring equitable access across neighbourhoods.
This is the leverage we need to maximise the government’s investment in residential charging infrastructure, and it is already being brought to life in Brighton & Hove, where char.gy is delivering one of the most ambitious public charging projects in the country. Backed by central government funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme, the partnership will see up to 6,000 charge points installed across the city over the next six years.
From reactive to resilient
There’s a compelling narrative emerging in the EV space: a shift from reactive installation (“install when needed”) to predictive implementation. That shift is driven by data, and now, increasingly, enabled by policy.
With the number of UK charge points doubling since 2023, and clear signage being rolled out on major A-roads and motorways, the infrastructure is evolving fast. But volume alone won’t cut it. Ensuring that where chargers are installed aligns with future demand is the difference between network density and network intelligence.
Data-driven tools like char.gy’s demand planning platform can ensure no community is left behind. Residents in flats, terraced housing, and kerbside-only streets can gain confidence knowing that charging infrastructure is coming before they even ask.
Councils can prioritise locations where usage will be highest, where existing infrastructure is insufficient, and where investment can deliver maximum public value, meaning fewer underused chargers, reduced planning time, and more robust, evidence-led business cases. Armed with predictive insights, they can also unlock stronger partnerships with charge point operators, energy networks, and fleet owners, making rollout faster, fairer, and more future-ready.
And for investors and operators, greater visibility into where and when demand will grow transforms planning risk into opportunity. It opens the door to sustainable co-investment and national-scale deployment.
This is the turning point: from reactive rollout to proactive infrastructure strategy. With the right tools and partnerships in place, the EV future can arrive sooner—and work better—for everyone.
John Lewis is CEO of char.gy, a UK provider of on‑street EV charging and infrastructure planning tools. char.gy collaborates with councils nationwide to accelerate EV adoption through data-led strategies.
https://www.evinfrastructurenews.com/ev-regulations/chargy-on-going-further-faster