Whilst the general trend for electric cars over the past decade has slowly crawled upward, the interest in EVs over the past few months has surged to unprecedented highs that have caught dealers and electricians slightly off guard.
The two-millionth electric car was registered in April 2026 according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), who also reported a 60 per cent year-on-year increase in battery electric cars.
Whilst the statistics are revealing, perhaps the ultimate sign of the times is the announcement of the Ferrari Luce, a luxury electric saloon with controversial styling developed by one of the most famous manufacturers of sports cars in the world.
With this boom unlikely to go away until petrol prices significantly drop, trained electricians are likely to be required to help install the EV charging stations needed to power the millions of EVs on the roads and the millions more expected to be sold in the future.
With that in mind, here is how electricians should respond to the EV sales boom and what this means for the future of electrical training and installation.
Why Is There A Boom In Electric Vehicles?
The boom in electric vehicles is a combination of global events, incentives towards a greener future and the gradual build-up of the market towards a state of critical mass, where the interest surrounding EVs is self-sustaining thanks to word-of-mouth.
Practical EVs have existed since the Nissan Leaf in 2009, but because the cars were expensive and the technology relatively unknown and unproven in the eyes of the general public, interest was typically tempered by range anxiety, or fears that the battery would run out of charge nowhere near a recharge station.
This began to change thanks to lower-cost new models, incentive schemes such as the Electric Car Grant making EVs cheaper and increasing waves of used EVs hitting the market.
This, compounded by fears of significantly increased fuel costs, has made EVs a tantalising prospect, which in turn has boosted the need for electricians trained to expand the infrastructure.
Why Are More Electricians Needed During The EV Boom?
The economic case for an EV is that it is far cheaper per mile to charge than it would be to refuel even an economical diesel car, but to get the greatest benefits from an EV, it is vital that you have a charging station of your own to top up the car during the night.
This not only ensures you have a full battery but also allows you to charge at the cheapest rates possible, with significant savings possible; the consumer advice website Which suggests you could charge a car for as little as 2p per mile.
This requires a charging station to be installed where the car is parked, typically taking the form of a wallbox located next to the driveway or in the garage.
This requires electricians to ensure that the house’s wiring can take the additional strain of an EV charger compared to standard 3-pin plugs, as well as providing advice and auditing of how to safely and affordably charge your new electric car.