The number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations worldwide is expected to grow to more than 12.7 million units by 2020 from more than 1 million units in 2014, according to the research firm IHS Inc.

IHS' report, "Auto Tech Report – EV Charging Infrastructure – 2015," analyzes current and future regional deployments of EV charging stations and identifies factors for future growth. The report forecasts that the global production market for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is expected to grow significantly between 2014 and 2020.

There are two main types of plug-in EV charging stations: AC and DC. An AC charging station supplies current to the on-board vehicle charger and usually provides 5-15 miles of electric range per 30 minute charge, while a DC charging station supplies current directly to the vehicle battery and usually provides about 80 miles of electric range per 30 minute charge, according to IHS.

The report forecasts that approximately 10 percent of EV charging stations by 2020 will be within the public or semi-public domain, while global DC charging stations are expected to be relatively low in number, and located on the outskirts of cities and highway infrastructure, rather than located in dense urban areas.

In addition, the report forecasts that, in 2016, global PHEV production will exceed BEV production for the first time, and is expected to remain that way for the short to mid-term.