The Best Places to Drive an EV in the UK
A guide unveiling the places across the country ranking highest and lowest for public charging availability.
Last updated: Aug 02, 2024 • 4 min read
Summary
Places in London and other metropolitan areas tend to have a higher number of public chargers than rural and remote parts of the UK.
Ranking the best and worst places to drive an EV
Owning and driving an EV can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, especially when you have access to a good public charging network. The number of places well-equipped with a high number of chargers is growing, making living with an EV easier than ever before, wherever you are.
What are the best places in the UK for driving an EV?
When it comes to driving an EV, some places in the UK stand out as exceptionally EV-friendly due to their highly developed public charging infrastructure.
You may be wondering where the best places to drive and own an EV are in the UK. According to data from April 2024, three London local authorities are at the top of the list.
Hammersmith and Fulham
This London local authority leads the charge with its impressive network of public EV chargers. It’s the highest at 1347.6 per 100,000 people, demonstrating a proactive approach to reducing emissions and promoting sustainable travel.
Westminster
With 1313.1 publicly available EV chargers per 100,000 people, Westminster is a close second right at the heart of UK political life.
City of London
Home of London’s stock exchange and many financial institutions, the City of London has the third most public EV chargers per 100,000 people at 1021.1.
Top 20 places to drive an EV in the UK by public charger availability (per 100,000 people):
Hammersmith and Fulham – 1347.6
Westminster – 1313.1
City of London – 1021.1
Kensington and Chelsea – 600.9
Southwark – 585.2
Coventry – 499.0
Richmond upon Thames – 460.0
Wandsworth – 420.6
Merton – 369.2
Watford – 330.9
Brent – 316.9
Camden – 288.5
Islington – 260.6
Orkney Islands – 244.0
East Lothian – 232.7
Kingston upon Thames – 209.1
Milton Keynes – 207.8
Na h-Eileanan Siar – 202.7
Hounslow – 201.4
Dumfries & Galloway – 198.9
Which cities in the UK have the most EVs?
The cities with the most EVs per capita in the UK are Portsmouth, Reading and Leeds. Surprisingly, these cities are not top of the list for public charging infrastructure.
Which cities in the UK have the most public EV charging points?
With the question about cities with the highest number of EVs answered, let’s find out which UK cities have the most public EV chargers.
Coventry is ranked number one for the best public EV charging network, closely followed by Brighton in second place, and London (inner and outer) in third place.
Planning your EV journeys
Wherever you go, planning your EV journey will help you manage worries about public charging availability. We recommend taking note of charging stops along your route on longer trips and having a backup charging option in case your preferred one is unavailable. The best EV route planners you can use are our Pod Point Network map in the app and ZapMap’s public charging network map.
While the worst places to drive an EV may pose a challenge to drivers reliant on public charging, it’s important to remember that the network is growing at lightning speed. From April 2023 to April 2024, the number of public chargers increased by a huge 49%, showing how quickly the public charging network is growing.