EV Charger Installation Market: Opportunities for Electrician Businesses [2026]

Electric vehicle adoption in the UK has accelerated significantly. Key data points for early 2026:

• Total EVs on UK roads: Over 1.1 million pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plus approximately 800,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs)
• New EV registrations: EVs accounted for approximately 18–22% of new car registrations in 2025
• Public charging points: Approximately 55,000+ public charging locations, up from 30,000 in 2022
• Home charger installations: Estimated 800,000–1,000,000 home chargers installed in UK homes cumulatively by early 2026
• 2035 ban confirmed: The UK ban on new petrol and diesel car sales is confirmed for 2035, giving a clear direction of travel for the entire decade

For electricians, the headline opportunity is that every EV buyer who has off-street parking is a potential home charger installation customer. With 2–3 million EVs expected on UK roads by 2028, the addressable market for home charger installation is growing rapidly.

Let's quantify the EV charger opportunity for UK electricians:

Home charger installation market:

• New EV registrations 2026 (estimated): 350,000–450,000
• Percentage with off-street parking eligible for home charger: approximately 55–60%
• Of those, percentage who get a dedicated home charger installed: approximately 70–80% (many charge via 3-pin initially)
• Estimated home charger installations in 2026: approximately 135,000–215,000
• Average installation revenue (unit + labour): approximately £550
• Total domestic home charger market 2026: approximately £75m–£120m

Commercial EV charging market:

• Workplace charging, car parks, public charging hubs, hospitality venues
• Estimated 2026 market: £300m–£500m (commercial installations are significantly higher value per project)
• Fleet electrification is particularly significant — over 50% of new fleet vehicles are expected to be electric by 2028

For a sole trader doing 5 home charger installations per week, that's £2,750/week in revenue from EV work alone — a significant component of total income.

The EV charger market has different implications for different types of electrical businesses:

Domestic-focused sole trader

The home charger market is the primary opportunity. Becoming an approved installer for 1–2 popular charger brands (Zappi, Andersen, Ohme) generates warm leads from manufacturer finder tools. Home charger installs are typically 2–4 hours, well-priced, and straightforward for any competent electrician with the right training. The goal: make EV charger installation 20–30% of total revenue over 2–3 years.

Small team (2–5 electricians)

At this size, you can pursue both domestic and small commercial opportunities simultaneously. Workplace charging installations (small car parks, 4–16 charger units) are within reach with the right insurance and H&S accreditation. These projects are worth £5,000–£30,000 and provide excellent margin.

Growing business (5+ electricians)

Fleet charging infrastructure and public charging projects become accessible. Fleet managers electrifying large vehicle fleets need dedicated depot charging solutions — 20–100 chargers, three-phase power, load management systems. These are multi-week projects worth £50,000–£500,000+. The barrier to entry is SSIP accreditation, commercial insurance, and demonstrated delivery capability.

The electricians who will capture the most EV charger work over the next 5 years are those who position themselves now. Key steps:

Training and accreditation (do this first)

• OZEV approved installer status — check current requirements at gov.uk (evolves periodically)
• Manufacturer accreditation for 1–2 brands: Zappi/myenergi, Andersen, Ohme, Pod Point, Wallbox. Most offer free or low-cost 1-day training
• For commercial work: EV charger installation units from City & Guilds or equivalent

Visibility in EV-specific channels

• Get listed on manufacturer installer finders (each brand has one)
• Join Trustmark EV installer register if eligible
• Optimise GBP and website for "[brand] charger installer [town]" terms — highly searchable, lower competition than general electrician terms
• Engage with local EV driver Facebook groups and forums — direct customer communities

Build relationships with car dealerships

Every electric car sold needs charging. Dealerships want to recommend a reliable local installer to their customers — they get asked every day. A professional introduction to the sales team at 2–3 local EV dealerships, with a clear referral arrangement, can generate consistent volume.

Projections for the UK EV charger installation market through 2030:

• Home charger installations: expected to grow to 300,000–500,000 per year by 2028
• Commercial installations: rapid growth driven by fleet electrification, workplace charging mandates, and public charging network expansion
• Retrofit to existing EV owners: a secondary market as older 3-pin charger owners upgrade to dedicated smart chargers for smart tariff advantages

The risk: the market will also attract more competition. As EV charger volume grows, more electricians will seek accreditation and enter the market. The businesses that build brand recognition, manufacturer relationships, and customer volume now will be better positioned to maintain premium pricing and market share as competition increases.

The fundamental outlook: EV charger installation is a multi-decade, structurally growing revenue stream for UK electricians. The transition from petrol to electric is confirmed policy, not speculation. Electricians who position now — getting training, building manufacturer relationships, developing commercial capability — are making one of the best long-term investments in their business they can make.