New data from the Motability Scheme’s latest EV Transition Tracker shows that gaps in public charging infrastructure risk driving up costs for EV users, with many drivers having to rely on more expensive rapid and ultra-rapid chargers.
According to the new data, when choosing between charging points of varying tariffs, speeds and proximity, charging tariff or price was responsible for 52% of Britons’ decisions, with proximity to the charger responsible for 27% and charging speed responsible for 20%. Cost was also the most important factor for disabled drivers on the Motability Scheme, being responsible for 48% of their choice.
However, real-world charging behaviour tells a different story. Anonymised usage data from Motability Scheme public charging app, showed drivers frequently have to charge at higher-priced networks due to gaps in local infrastructure.
From January to 1 December 2025, Scheme customers paid an average of 74p/kWh. The most-used operator averaged 86p/kWh, followed by 78p/kWh and 83p/kWh -demonstrating a clear mismatch between what drivers want from public charging and what they are currently able to access.
Rapid and ultra-rapid most used despite preference for low and slow
While the number of slow and fast charge points across the UK is increasing at a faster pace than rapid chargers[1], slow charging made up only a small proportion of charging sessions from Motability Scheme customers in 2025. Just a quarter (25%) of sessions took place on slow and fast, cheaper chargers, compared to 75% of sessions on more expensive, rapid and ultra rapid chargers.
This disconnect is also reflected across the wider UK public. Utilisation data from Zapmap for Q3 2025, revealed that 71.4% of charging sessions across the UK took place at rapid and ultra-rapid chargers, while only 28.6% occurred at slow and fast chargers[2].
Slow and low close to home will improve confidence in the EV transition
A key reason for the gap between what drivers want and how they actually charge is the limited availability of low and slow charge points close to home. For drivers without access to home charging, using slower and cheaper public chargers depends on being able to leave their vehicle plugged in for longer periods.
However, data from Field Dynamics and Zapmap shows that in some parts of the UK, charge points are far from where people live – with households facing walks of more than 15 minutes to reach their nearest charger.
In London, where 81% of UK households are within a 0-5 minute walk of a public charger, nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of Motability Scheme charging sessions took place on slow and fast chargers - the highest proportion of any region.
By contrast, in regions where charge points are much further from home, use of these lower-cost options falls sharply. In the East Midlands, where just 24% of households are within a 5-minute walk of a charger, only 10.8% of sessions were on slow and fast chargers.
Joseph B, Motability Scheme customer, said: “Where I live, public transport is too far away for me to access so my car is essential. I’m lucky to have a home charger for my EV, which means charging is great value. If I had to rely more on the public network, I would definitely need to prioritise the cost of the charge, over the speed unless I was in the middle of a journey.”
Andrew Miller, CEO of Motability Operations, said: “Inspiring the next cohort of EV drivers will depend not just on interest in EVs, but on the experience people have once they use them. While attitudes towards EVs remain stable, gaps in affordable, slow charging close to home are creating charging experiences that are often more expensive and less convenient than drivers expect. This is particularly detrimental for those without access to home charging. Without the right infrastructure in place, it will become increasingly difficult to convert curiosity about EVs into confident, long-term uptake.”
-ENDS-
[1] EV charging statistics 2025 - Zapmap
[2] Public charge point utilisation - Zapmap
Notes to editors
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Location
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Average tariff based on usage data from the Motability Scheme’s public charging app
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% of households within a 0-5 minute of a public charger - Zapmap and Field Dynamics data
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Scotland
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£0.63
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36.31%
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London
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£0.68
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81.33%
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Wales
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£0.75
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28.74%
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North West
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£0.77
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25.42%
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North East
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£0.76
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26.25%
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East Midlands
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£0.80
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23.5%
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East of England
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£0.77
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23.65%
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South East
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£0.78
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31.47%
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South West
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£0.79
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27.78%
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Yorkshire & Humber
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£0.80
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23.99%
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West Midlands
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£0.77
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27.13%
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About Motability Operations
Motability Operations runs the Motability Scheme, which gives disabled people a lifeline, connecting them to life-changing independence and freedom.
Through the Scheme, disabled people receiving a qualifying disability allowance can choose to exchange their allowance for a good value, accessible vehicle lease.
We play an essential role in supporting disabled people with accessing work, healthcare, education and training, keeping them connected and improving their chances of getting a job and staying in the workforce.
On average, Scheme users are able to work an additional two days per week, and the Scheme supports 34,000 jobs across the UK.
We negotiate with manufacturers and partners to provide users of the Scheme with affordability and choice. On average, the Scheme is cheaper than alternative options, and includes insurance, breakdown, tyres and servicing.
Methodology note
UK public survey
A nationally representative sample of 3,085 respondents from across Great Britain and Northern Ireland were interviewed by More in Common for this survey. Respondents were weighted to be representative of the United Kingdom according to gender and age interlocked, region, education level, ethnicity and 2024 General Election vote. Fieldwork for this survey took place between 5 and 10 November 2025.
Motability Scheme customer survey
A further survey of a sample of Motability Scheme customers was fielded. More in Common interviewed a sample of 1,144 Motability Scheme customers aged 18+.
Fieldwork was conducted between 10 and 17 November 2025. A sample of 40,000 current Motability Scheme customers were invited via email to take part in the survey, which was conducted online. The invitation sample was drawn to ensure the proportions in the sample matched those of the full Motability fleet breakdown in terms of vehicle fuel type, age group, region, urban/rural status, and lease type. The data has been weighted to be representative of Motability Scheme customers according to age, region and their vehicle fuel type (Electric/Hybrid/petrol/diesel).
To incentivise as representative a sample of Motability Scheme customers as possible, customers who completed the survey were offered the chance of entering a random draw to win a £50 online shopping voucher.
Conjoint experiment
These two surveys included a conjoint experiment to allow for the production of a robust ranking of the importance of the roles that speed, proximity and cost play for Britons when they are choosing their preferred EV charging point. Respondents were asked to assume: they owned a fully electric vehicle; they were currently at home and looking to do a regular, full charge rather than a quick top-up charge; that all of the chargepoints would be free/available to use; and finally they felt equally safe getting to and from and leaving their vehicles at the charge points. Respondents were then asked, on six occasions, to select from a list of three chargepoints (with randomly varying charging tariffs, charging speeds and of varying distances away from them) which chargepoint they would opt to charge their vehicle at.
Field Dynamics research
Residential properties were identified using Ordnance Survey AddressBase. Each household was then classified as either on-street or off-street using Field Dynamics’ EV Map data product. The location of EV charge points was established using Zapmap’s Location Data. Field Dynamics then calculated the straight-line distance from each household to the nearest charge point. Distances were measured in metres and converted into walking times using an assumed average walking speed of 5 km/h (≈83.3 metres per minute).
