As electric vehicle (EV) sales experience a significant surge, the need for extensive charging infrastructure has become a pressing issue worldwide. A DIGITIMES Research survey reveals that the global EV fleet exceeded 40 million units in 2023, yet there are only 4.017 million public charging points available, highlighting a disparity between EV adoption and charging infrastructure growth. In 2023 alone, 14 million new EVs were introduced globally, but only 1.34 million new charging points were established. This imbalance underscores the urgent requirement for a comprehensive charging network to support the expanding EV market and ensure sustained growth.
Analyzing regional differences, Jasper Jiang from DIGITIMES Research notes substantial variation in the pace of charging infrastructure deployment among China, Europe, and the United States, which together host over 90% of the global EV stock. China leads with a favorable EV-to-charger ratio, adding over 200,000 public charging points each quarter in 2023, primarily in eastern coastal regions like Guangdong. Europe follows, with significant growth driven by countries such as the Netherlands, France, and Germany, benefitting from policy coordination and geographic proximity. In contrast, the United States lags, adding just over 22,000 new charging points in 2023, with California contributing a notable 26.8% of the nation’s total. Looking forward, the key challenge lies in bridging the resource gap between different regions, with a focused effort required to extend infrastructure development to rural and underdeveloped areas to support the burgeoning EV market.
