Wenyi Zhang
Research expert covering Greater China
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure in China - statistics & facts
The provision of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) has remained a booming market despite the impact of the disrupted global supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the Russia-Ukraine war. The People's Republic of China ("China") is not only leading the growth in global electric vehicle (EV) sales, but is also rolling out EV charging infrastructure faster than other countries. In China, smaller EV models are common (best seller: the Wuling Hong Guang Mini EV) and do not require much energy to charge fully. China's EV charging infrastructure market has surged over the past few years. According to the Chinese government's 14th five-year plan, an advanced charging infrastructure system will be in place by the end of 2025 to meet the demand for more than 20 million electric vehicles.
Using a private charger is still the preferred method for most Chinese EV owners. It is seen as an inexpensive and convenient option where household electricity pricing is usually applied. However, unlike countries such as the United States and Germany, most Chinese households do not have residential parking, and even fewer have access to chargers. This is largely because most people live in multi-unit dwellings in urban areas with limited parking capacity. To meet their charging needs, many EV owners decide to share their private chargers. As of 2022, the number of shared private charging piles in China amounted to 3.4 million, about 1.9 times more than the public ones. In addition, the extensive public charging network and affordable prices have led Chinese EV owners to prefer charging in public places.
Charger type
The number of EV chargers in an area depends on a variety of factors, such as typical travel distances, housing conditions, population density, reliance on home charging, and the charging behavior of EV owners. EV owners may choose to use private chargers at home or work, or public chargers on the street, in parking lots, or along transportation corridors. China has been a global leader in the number of public charging piles. As of 2021, China had more than 1.1 million publicly available EV chargers, accounting for two-thirds of the world’s total. Of these, China had about 470,000 public fast chargers (providing power greater than 22 kW), accounting for about 85 percent of the world's public fast chargers.Using a private charger is still the preferred method for most Chinese EV owners. It is seen as an inexpensive and convenient option where household electricity pricing is usually applied. However, unlike countries such as the United States and Germany, most Chinese households do not have residential parking, and even fewer have access to chargers. This is largely because most people live in multi-unit dwellings in urban areas with limited parking capacity. To meet their charging needs, many EV owners decide to share their private chargers. As of 2022, the number of shared private charging piles in China amounted to 3.4 million, about 1.9 times more than the public ones. In addition, the extensive public charging network and affordable prices have led Chinese EV owners to prefer charging in public places.
