Applications for the open chargepoint data mandated by the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023.
The UK Public Chargepoint Regulations (PCPR) 2023 outline the open data chargepoint operators (CPOs) are required to hold and make available to all. This data must be provided free of charge and in an OCPI-compatible, machine readable format upon request. It encompasses information including chargepoint location, connector type, payment mechanism, cost to charge per kWh, hours of availability and details of charging sessions hosted. This data has the potential to improve user experience and build trust in the public charging network. It is also a powerful resource for CPOs that can enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.
By making information accessible, open data enables businesses, researchers, and developers to create new solutions, improve decision-making, and foster collaboration across sectors. This can help CPOs reduce costs, improve utilisation rates, and contribute to a more sustainable and user-friendly EV ecosystem.
While the PCPR require CPOs to hold and make this data available, there is no central database they are mandated to supply it to. Zapmap have had agreements in place to gather this data from almost all UK CPOs since prior to the PCPR’s introduction. This information is processed and turned into an aggregated dataset that Zapmap make commercially available.
The UK Department for Transport (DfT) appointed Zapmap as their Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Open Data provider in 2025. Under this contract, Zapmap provide their aggregated dataset to DfT who use it for internal analysis and policy development. DfT make a limited portion of this data publicly available on its electric vehicle charging infrastructure statistics page.
The best way for public sector organisations (including local authorities) to access Zapmap’s detailed dataset is via Cenex’s NEVIS service. More details on this can be found below. Other stakeholders that pay to access Zapmap’s dataset, include CPOs, DNOs, iDNOs and DSOs. The data helps these organisations develop their projects’ business case, plan and final design. The data each organisation requires varies according to individual use cases, Zapmap therefore operate a tailored pricing model that allows for this flexibility. You can contact Zapmap to discuss pricing via insights@zapmap.com.
Cenex distribute Zapmap’s data to the public sector through their NEVIS service. The Insights Toolkit module integrates the Zapmap dataset with additional layers of data to give an even more detailed understanding of the current and future charging landscape. Users have visibility of chargepoint locations alongside other geographic information such as vehicle registrations and off-street parking availability. This is invaluable for local authorities and other stakeholders planning the development of charging infrastructure.
Anyone can set up a free NEVIS account to view this information for the whole of the UK. Hyper-localised data, projections and modelling area available for each local authority area. You can contact Cenex via NEVIS@cenex.co.uk if you are interested in purchasing a detailed Insights Toolkit account. In addition, public sector organisations can separately purchase some of the datasets used within the NEVIS Insights Toolkit from Cenex – including Zapmap’s. Note that not all of these are available to non-public sector organisations.
The PCPR set out the minimum standards for the provision of open data UK CPOs need to meet. However, in practice, the results have been mixed.
CPO data is most immediately useful to chargepoint operators themselves and to other key stakeholders in public EV charging. However, it could also be used to support the integration of charging infrastructure with renewable energy generation and other low carbon transport.
There are a small number of projects in the UK with large renewable energy generation connecting directly to EV charging infrastructure. These include Infinite Charge’s site at Tafarnaubach, Wales, and Fuuse’s site near Milton Keynes, England – collocated with 4.1MW and 500kW of wind generation, respectively. However, connecting to something other than the grid introduces complexity that makes these sites the exception rather than the rule.
The CPO data could provide the certainty to make negotiating this complexity worth project developers’ while. Large scale renewable generation would need to be connected to high-power EV charging hubs for these projects to be feasible. Data showing these hubs’ energy throughput could demonstrate a high enough local demand to affirm the business case for such projects. These would likely have to be away from built-up areas due to the physical space large renewable generators require.
The data could also reveal small-scale charging sites with the potential to connect to small-scale generation integrated with battery storage. These might be expansions of existing high-demand locations, or new sites with strong similarities to an existing site or sites.
Organisations developing mobility hubs could use CPO data on EV charging behaviour to identify locations that currently only offer EV charging but exhibit usage patterns similar to established mobility hubs. These locations could be strong candidates for expanding into multimodal hubs with additional transport options, such as (e)bike/scooter sharing schemes. The same insights could also help identify entirely new sites suitable for future mobility hub development.
Some EV charging sites that see low usage could offer up one or more connectors to a dedicated car club vehicle and still meet public charging demand with the remaining connectors. Car clubs could use the CPO data to identify suitable locations for such partnership opportunities.
The data might also be used to identify locations suitable for linking with active travel or public transport. This would likely require supplementary user data which could be collected after using the CPO data to identify a shortlist of potential sites.
