Charging Demand Is Rising, However Charging Infrastructure Is not Protecting Up

• ChargePoint says that demand for its charging companies grew by 34% in 2025.
• The corporate says that EV infrastructure isn’t maintaining with the rising variety of EVs on roads.
• Plug-in hybrid fashions account for 16% of ChargePoint’s degree 2 AC charging occasions.

The EV world could also be considerably in turmoil, but it surely lastly appears like a minimum of some points of EV possession are beginning to work themselves out. For instance, charging infrastructure has been considerably of a shiny spot in a darkish EV world; reliability is up, entry is increasing and new EV drivers are lastly understanding easy methods to use the issues. Now, EV charging deserts and useless zones have gotten much less widespread, as shoppers proceed to construct confidence in EV possession.

And but, regardless of all the intense information, some charging woes persist. Living proof: New information from ChargePoint reveals that charging infrastructure isn’t maintaining with all the brand new EVs on the street.

That’s not good.

To return to this conclusion, ChargePoint in contrast its personal charging information in opposition to the variety of 2025 EV gross sales. International EV gross sales had been up by 20%, European EV gross sales had been up by 33% and even within the now-EV-hostile U.S., 2025 was our second-best EV gross sales yr ever. ChargePoint says that regardless of putting in a whopping 190,000 new charging factors (each degree 2 AC charging and DC quick charging) in 2025, EV charging utilization outpaced development by 20%. The corporate additionally says the variety of charging periods on its community shot up 34%, regardless of a a lot smaller improve within the variety of EVs on the street.

It expects the mismatch to worsen in 2026, until the speed of EV charger set up continues to develop.

ChargePoint shared different fascinating items of knowledge about its EV chargers. About 16% of all of its AC charging occasions are achieved by plug-in hybrid autos (PHEVs). As well as, the expansion in EV adoption has been so dramatic of late that just about 60% of the driving miles enabled by its chargers have occurred inside the previous two years of its 18-year existence.

I can’t assist however chime in right here. At the very least anecdotally, I’ve observed my native EV chargers have gotten a bit extra crowded. On one hand, it’s good to lastly see an increasing number of drivers make the swap and ditch gasoline. Then again, I’m an inherently egocentric and impatient individual, and I discover the idea of ready in line to cost or an occupied EV charger to be a day-ruining expertise.

I used to have a routine of going to sure shops or espresso retailers that had EV charging, and letting the automobile cost whereas I labored or shopped. Now, most of the time, these EV chargers are occupied, which may actually change my plans of alternative charging whereas doing one thing else. For those who’re not somebody with house charging, this could shortly go from a light inconvenience to a disaster.

Now, this brings me to 1 potential silver lining of this yr’s powerful atmosphere for EVs. Maybe the expected slowdown in EV gross sales, a minimum of the one right here within the U.S., may give ChargePoint (and different EV charging suppliers) some much-needed respiration room to construct extra chargers and sustain with rising demand.

Contact the creator: kevin.williams@insideevs.com