EV Risk Intelligence
in Wales 2026
A postcode-level analysis of electric vehicle infrastructure risk across Welsh communities. 97,767 postcodes scored across six regions using government and statutory data.
What the data shows
Wales is overwhelmingly low risk for EV infrastructure deployment. But the communities most in need of charging access are consistently the furthest from it. This report sets out where investment is working, where gaps are widest, and where the data points most clearly to unmet need.
The highest-risk district in Wales, peaking at a score of 41 in Roath and Cathays. High traffic volumes, collision history, and deprivation at IMD decile 2 drive the risk profile. Also the best-served district for charging infrastructure.
The most deprived district in this analysis at IMD decile 5.2. Reasonable charger access in Newport city, but limited coverage in the upper valleys where communities are most dependent on public charging.
Low average risk at 1.9 with reasonable charger density around Swansea Bay, but coverage becomes sparse towards West Wales and the Pembrokeshire coast. Average nearest rapid charger is 5.4km.
Second lowest risk score in Wales at 1.3 average, but only 6.0 chargers within 5km on average. Communities on the Llyn Peninsula and in Snowdonia face journey distances to rapid charging that make EV adoption practically difficult without home charging.
A cross-border transport corridor underserved by charging infrastructure oriented towards English urban centres rather than Welsh communities. Only 4.2 chargers within 5km on average, with the nearest rapid at 6.8km.
The lowest risk and most underserved area in Wales. Average risk score of 1.0, yet the nearest rapid charger averages 10.3km. Powys is the largest county in Wales and the clearest case for targeted Regional Transport Grant investment. In 2026 to 2027, Powys received £300,000 for EV charging at public car parks. Against a backdrop of 10.3km average distance to a rapid charger, that allocation illustrates the scale of the gap between available funding and the infrastructure required.
Where risk is concentrated in Wales
All five of the highest-scoring postcodes in Wales are in Cardiff. No Welsh postcode reaches the Critical threshold that applies to central London locations, reflecting the fundamentally different urban environment of Welsh cities.
| Postcode | Area | Score | Band | IMD Decile | Collisions | Chargers (5km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CF24 2FN | Roath, Cardiff | 41 | High | 2 | 14 | 56 |
| CF24 0DB | Roath, Cardiff | 40 | High | 2 | 18 | 57 |
| CF24 0AN | Cathays, Cardiff | 40 | High | 2 | 18 | 58 |
| CF10 4FB | City Centre, Cardiff | 40 | High | 2 | 14 | 56 |
| NP4 6TL | Pontypool, Torfaen | 1 | Low | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Low risk. No chargers.
A consistent pattern emerges from this analysis. The areas of Wales with the lowest deployment risk are also those with the least charging infrastructure. The areas with the most infrastructure are those with the highest risk scores.
This reflects the commercial logic of charge point deployment, where operators naturally gravitate towards high-footfall urban locations despite the elevated risk environment those locations present.
If deployment continues to follow commercial demand signals alone, rural and semi-rural communities will remain underserved indefinitely. These communities are not high risk. They are low risk, with genuine and growing need for public charging access.
Powys has the lowest average risk score in Wales (1.0) and the greatest average distance to rapid charging (10.3km). It is the safest place to deploy charging infrastructure in Wales and the least served.
Average Distance to Nearest Rapid Charger
Where the data points
With the lowest average risk score in Wales and the greatest distance to rapid charging, Powys presents the strongest case for targeted public sector investment. The 2026 to 2027 Regional Transport Grant allocated £300,000 to Powys for EV charging at public car parks. That figure, measured against a 10.3km average distance to a rapid charger across the county, indicates the scale of what remains to be done. The low-risk environment increases the likelihood of sustained uptime and network reliability, strengthening the case for prioritisation.
Wales does not have access to the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund, which is an England-only programme. EV charging in Wales is funded through the Regional Transport Grant, administered by Corporate Joint Committees. That grant covers road safety, active travel, public transport, and highways within a single allocation. EV charging must compete for priority within that broader envelope and is not ring-fenced. In 2026 to 2027, the entire South East Wales region received just £50,000 for ULEV activity, allocated to an evaluation study rather than deployed infrastructure. Policy recommendations for Wales must reflect this funding landscape rather than assuming parity with English programmes.
Funding alone does not deliver chargepoints. Across Wales, local authorities and CJCs face a consistent challenge in translating grant allocations into deployed infrastructure. Procurement processes for EV charging are complex, site selection criteria are often poorly defined, and elected members and officers frequently lack the technical grounding to make confident investment decisions. Public understanding of charging infrastructure, range, and suitability also lags behind adoption targets. These are not problems of political will. They are problems of evidence and capability. Postcode-level risk and infrastructure data gives procurement teams a defensible, auditable basis for site selection, business case development, and grant applications.
Charge point operators and local authorities should incorporate postcode-level risk intelligence into site selection. Deploying infrastructure into High-risk environments without adequate mitigation increases the probability of vandalism, theft, and out-of-service incidents.
With only 6.0 chargers per postcode area within 5km on average, North Wales is significantly underserved relative to its geography. Communities along the A55 corridor and on the Llyn Peninsula have particular need for rapid charging access.
The NP district combines the highest average deprivation in Wales with limited coverage in upper valley communities. These residents are most dependent on public charging due to high rates of terraced housing without off-street parking.
Transport for Wales and the Welsh Government should consider commissioning a formal risk-adjusted infrastructure strategy. The data to support such a framework already exists at postcode level and can be accessed through the EVInsight API.
Every factor in this analysis derives from Environment Agency, ONS, DfT, Police.uk, HM Land Registry, and Welsh Government WIMD data. All sources are licensed under the Open Government Licence v3. EVInsight is an ICO Registered Data Controller (ZC106985).
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Published April 2026 · Updated April 2026 to reflect feedback from EV infrastructure practitioners on the Welsh funding landscape · EVInsight · evinsight.co.uk