Business EV charging in London: demand, networks and funding

London's council dataset totals 31,371 public chargers at July 2026 [S1]. That does not establish demand at your premises. Separate overnight guests, staff and passing drivers, check your electricity connection and compare fully funded income with part funded or self funded payback. Borough parking conditions and your opening hours belong in the assessment. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 16 October 2026

How much public EV charging does London already have?

The council records sum to 31,371 public chargers, including 2,533 rapid-or-above chargers, at 1 July 2026 [S1]. They also total 320,789 licensed plug-in vehicles at the end of Q2 2026 [S2]. These snapshots measure provision and registrations, rather than the number of drivers willing to pay at your premises.

The calculation includes each London council record once: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, City of London, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth and Westminster [S1], [S2].

Do not average borough rates or equate devices with locations. Vehicles are allocated geographically using keeper information, which can put company vehicles away from their operating base [S1], [S2]. Use the regional charging data guide alongside a survey of your immediate catchment.

Where could a London business find charging demand?

VisitEngland lists London & Partners as a visitor economy partnership [S9]. For your hotel, combine destination information with your own guest arrival method, overnight parking occupancy and requests for charging. Visitor numbers alone do not establish car arrivals.

For offices and workplaces, survey staff who actually drive to your premises. For fleets and depots, start with return times and the energy needed before the next shift. Public rapid demand needs a different assessment from either use.

Walk the proposed route from each bay to the entrance and payment instructions. Check how queues, deliveries and accessible parking would interact. Decide whether public drivers can enter without reception approval. A proposal that uses your remaining loading space may cost more operationally than the charging income suggests.

Which network should assess your London connection?

UK Power Networks serves London [S6], while SSEN Distribution also operates in parts of west London [S7]. Identify your distribution network operator (DNO), the organisation responsible for local electricity cables, using the actual site connection.

SSEN describes capacity work in Hounslow, Hillingdon and Ealing [S7]. That is evidence of local network work, not confirmation of spare capacity for your address. Ask for a connection assessment covering building demand and charging together. Compare load management with a larger connection through the DNO application process.

If you want solar photovoltaic panels or battery storage, request a combined load profile and separate pricing. Do not assume a battery removes connection restrictions or that rooftop generation covers overnight charging. Ask the designer to explain charging priorities during your building’s busiest electrical periods.

What does business charging cost, and when could it pay back?

Under fully funded, the provider pays, owns and operates; you provide the space and receive a share. Under part funded, you contribute capital for a larger income share. Under self funded, you pay for the equipment and keep income after operating costs. Ask who carries parking, insurance and business-rates costs in each offer.

This is an illustration, not a quote. Every input is an assumption, rather than a London tariff, installation price or utilisation forecast. kW means kilowatts of power; kWh means kilowatt-hours of energy.

Annual energy = sessions × 12 × 365; sales = energy × £0.60. Operating net = energy × (£0.60 − £0.25) − £600. Fully funded income = sales × 10%; part funded income = operating net × 50%. ROI = annual host net ÷ host investment × 100; payback = investment ÷ host net. Proportional investment and net shares give matching returns in this example. It excludes VAT, tax, finance, charging losses, replacements and property costs. Check those with your accountant before using it for a decision.

Which grants and planning checks apply in London?

WCS provides up to £500 per eligible socket until 31 March 2027 [S3]. Check the workplace grant guidance before ordering.

London’s LEVI allocation is £35,698,000 [S8]. It supports council-led charging for residents without off-street parking and is delivered through borough partnerships [S10]. Check planned provision near your site.

Public tariffs must show pence per kWh [S4]. Qualifying chargepoints have a 100% first-year Corporation Tax allowance through 31 March 2027 [S5]; check with your accountant.

For the London Plan query, ask your borough which adopted policies and existing planning conditions apply to your actual development. National planning proposals do not themselves grant site consent [S11]. Ask your solicitor to check landowner permissions, lease duration, liability, exit rights and equipment removal before signing.

What should you do next?

Send your postcode, parking layout, access hours and supply details. Piggy Pineapple Ltd operates this referral service. We refer enquiries to installer partners and may be paid a fee. Our owner holds shares in at least one partner. We name the proposed partner and disclose any shareholding our owner holds in it before sharing details. Read how we work, then get matched with an installer that covers your area.