Just one in seven electric vehicle (EV) drivers are using public charge points as their main source of energy, according to new research published by Zenith.

It found that despite the rapid growth in the number of public chargers, more than half (52%) of EV drivers say they would face significant difficulties solely using the public charging network.

The EVXperience Report (EVX2), which polled almost 2,800 of Zenith’s EV customers, also shows that more than two-thirds (69%) primarily rely on charging off-street at home.

Zenith says this presents a risk of a “driveway divide” between those who have off-street parking and can use home chargers and those who rely on the significantly more expensive public network.

Tim Buchan, Zenith’s CEO, said: “The number of battery EVs on the road has increased rapidly, so it is no surprise that building a public charging network to support it was going to be a huge undertaking.

“Progress is being made, with the number of charge points growing 46% in January 2024 compared to last year, and multiple new innovations in play, such as converting BT green boxes into charging hubs. 

“But there is a serious risk that the EV transition will be delayed if worsening public perceptions of the network are not addressed.

“To get there, we need the Government to equalise VAT on public charging, an opportunity missed in the Budget last week, and boost capacity by speeding up grid connections for charge point providers.”

As for the providers themselves, Buchan says that they need to offer a “consistent, reliable and user-friendly experience” that doesn’t let drivers down when they are making a longer trip.

“Through cheaper pricing, faster roll-out and a better service, we can help drive forward the EV transition,” he added.

The Zenith research found that, since last year’s debut EVX report, EV drivers have become less satisfied with the range of their EVs (7.7/10 down to 6.7/10), and the experience of charging, reducing from 8.1/10 to 7.4/10.

However, despite these concerns, EV drivers remain optimistic about the future for EV adoption in the UK.

More than four-fifths (82%) say they expect the charging infrastructure to improve over the next three years, suggesting “range anxiety” may decrease as the size and quality of the charging network grows.