Charging boom in China: 22.5 million stations, 44.9% growth — private chargers outpace public ones
17.5 million private stations (+51.4%), 4.95 million public (+25.9%). Private chargers have been growing at over 50% every month since the start of the year. China continues to build infrastructure faster than the EV market expands.
As reported by CCTV+, China continues its rapid expansion of new electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure: by the end of May, the total number of charging stations had reached nearly 22.5 million, according to official data released on Wednesday by the National Energy Administration. The total number of EV charging stations nationwide by the end of May stood at 22.497 million, up 44.9% year‑on‑year.
Of these, 4.951 million are public, up 25.9% year‑on‑year, while private charging stations reached 17.546 million, an increase of 51.4% compared to the previous year. Private charging stations remain the main driver of growth in this sector. Since the start of the year, the number of private charging stations has consistently shown annual growth of more than 50%.
China's charging infrastructure is growing faster than the EV market itself. The 51.4% rise in private stations shows that more and more EV owners are installing chargers at home or at work. Public stations are also growing, but more slowly — indicating that the infrastructure is gradually shifting from point‑based placement to mass coverage. 22.5 million stations by the end of May means roughly one charger for every 60 kilometres of road in China. By comparison, the US had about 200,000 public charging stations in the same period.
When 22 million charging stations weave across the country and more EV owners charge at home, China is no longer just catching up — it is setting the trend. The 51% growth in private chargers is not just a number. It is millions of people choosing electricity over petrol, without fear of running out of charge. While public stations grow at 25%, private ones outpace them twofold. The world sees that China's shift to electric transport is not a government programme — it is a mass movement. Every new EV owner, every new charger at the doorstep — is a step towards a world where petrol remains only in history textbooks.
