Data from the NHS Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) shows that just 670 out of 2,901 hospital sites (23 per cent) currently offer EV charging for staff or visitors, leaving 76.9 per cent of NHS sites no EV charging whatsoever, with just 4,908 charging points recorded across the entire NHS estate.
EV charging infrastructure differs considerably between regions, with the North East and Yorkshire region having the highest number of chargers overall, with 1,098 recorded across 450 sites. At the opposite end of the scale, the South West has just 277 chargers across 285 sites – with 82 per cent of locations offering no EV charging at all.
Ben Welham, motoring expert at cinch, said: “It’s encouraging to see some regions and trusts making progress, with over 1,000 chargers in the North East and Yorkshire.
“That shows investment is happening, but the challenge now is making sure it’s spread more evenly so electric car drivers can benefit.
“It’s surprising to see some major hospital trusts still reporting no EV charging at all, particularly when they operate multiple sites.
“For staff, patients and their visitors, knowing you’ll be able to charge up when you’re there is one less thing to worry about.
“As more drivers switch to electric vehicles, expanding charging in everyday locations like hospitals is a key element of making that transition easy.”