A survey of drivers reluctant to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) found that 36% cite a lack of local charging points as a key concern, and around a quarter of businesses blame a lack of reliable on-street charging as a key barrier preventing them from adopting an EV fleet, according to a survey from The Solar Co.
The Solar Co analysed London’s charging network to identify the boroughs with the best coverage, the fastest growth, and the highest share of rapid chargers.
The survey looked at the number of publicly available EV chargepoints per 100,000 residents, the number of new EV charge points and the prevalence of high-speed public charging options.
The study revealed that Hackney is London’s best Borough for EV charging, with 1,214 total chargers, a 103% year-on-year increase, and dense coverage of 464 per 100,000 people.
The borough added 616 chargers in the past 12 months, although only 3% of its network is high-speed.
Redbridge ranked second with the fastest growth rate in London at 126%, adding 210 chargers to reach 377 in total.
While its network is smaller, The Solar Co said it stands out for rapid charging, with 84 high-speed units accounting for 22% of its provision.
Richmond upon Thames took third place with 1,331 chargers, 683 per 100,000 people, including 97 high-speed units.
Waltham Forest ranked fourth with 1,204 chargers, 436 per 100,000 people. The Solar Co said it expanded rapidly in the past year, adding 518 chargers for a 76% boost, though just 2% are high-speed.
Havering came in fifth place with a network of 114 chargers, with a rapid-charging share of 81%, including 92 high-speed units. The borough added 33 chargers over the past year, growing its network by 41%.
The Solar Co said these figures show that while London’s charging network is expanding overall, some boroughs are struggling to keep pace.
Greenwich, for example, saw a 14% fall in growth this year with 211 public charge points – only 84 per 100,000 people.
Tower Hamlets, despite having 379 chargers, had a 5% drop, while Camden’s 652 chargers include only 31 high-speed units, just 5% of its total.
Even Hammersmith and Fulham, with 2,674 charge points, offer just 38 rapid chargers – nearly 1% of the network.
Westminster and the City of London also ranked among the top 10 worst boroughs for EV drivers – despite strong overall coverage, with over 2,700 charging points in Westminster alone, both boroughs fall behind on high-speed chargers, which account for less than 3% of their networks.
East London is seeing a surge in EV charging infrastructure with six out of the top 10 fastest growing EV charging networks based in this region of the nation’s capital.
London Borough of Redbridge emerged as London’s fastest-growing borough for EV infrastructure, with a 126% increase in the number of chargers installed per 100,000 residents over the past year.
Hackney follows closely with a 103% rise, while Barking and Dagenham ranks third at 92% growth.
Other high performers include Barnet, which expanded by 76%, and Waltham Forest, where the network grew by 75%.
Elsewhere, outer boroughs also saw progress, with Havering expanding its network by 41%, Bromley by 37% and Richmond upon Thames by 33% between July 2024 and July 2025.
Havering topped the list with 114 public EV charge points, of which 92 are high-speed units – giving it an unrivalled rapid-charging prevalence of 81%.
Lewisham ranked second with 230 chargers, of which 64 are high-speed units, making up 28% of its network.
Hillingdon followed in third, offering 248 chargers overall, with 61 high-speed units accounting for 25% of provision.
Haringey took fourth place with 325 chargers, 76 of which are high-speed, giving it a 23% rapid-charging share – matched by Harrow in fifth, which operates a smaller network of 84 chargers, but maintains 19 high-speed units.
George Penny, EV charging expert at The Solar Co, said: “Our research highlights the dramatic differences in EV charging provision across London, showing both the progress made and the gaps that still remain.
“Boroughs like Hackney, Redbridge and Waltham Forest are leading the way in expanding their networks, with Hackney alone doubling its chargers in the past year.
“At the same time, outer boroughs such as Havering stand out for prioritising rapid charging, with over 80% of its network made up of high-speed units.
“For Londoners considering the switch to electric, or EV owners visiting the capital, the findings show how location can make a real difference – from the density of chargers on your doorstep to the share of rapid units available for quick top-ups”.
