Revealed: The Top 5 Most Electric Vehicle Friendly UK Areas

• Milton Keynes revealed as the most EV friendly area, with a public EV charging connector available for every 435 residents.
• London has the highest total of EV charging connectors, with 5,667 installed.
• Southend-on-Sea is least prepared for EVS, with just two connectors for 360,870 people.
• By 2030, 480,000 public charge points are needed in the UK, compared to the current 26,682.

New research has revealed the most and least electric vehicle (EV) friendly UK areas, based on the number of people per EV charging connectors in the locations.

The EV chargers provider BOXT has calculated the number of public EV charging connectors in stations per population in UK towns and cities, revealing Milton Keynes as the most EV friendly area.

Milton Keynes has the best ratio of people to EV charging connectors, with a population of 435 per connector. Overall, the area has 620 charging connectors, which is the third-highest out of the UK’s most populated towns and cities, and the highest of the towns included in the research.

Unsurprisingly, London has the highest total of connectors, with a staggering 5,667 installed. However, when accounting for the capital’s huge population of 10,212,800, the number of people per connector equates to 1,802.

The analysis also highlighted Southend-on-Sea as the least prepared for the EV revolution, with a ratio of 180,435 people per connector, due to only having two connectors for 360,870 people.

Andy Kerr, the co-founder of BOXT, said: “It’s easy to assume that London is the best location for EV drivers due to the high volume of charging stations. However, this research shows that the capital still has a long way to go to accommodate the vast population.

“Instead, those living in Milton Keynes are currently in the best position for switching to EVs, with the number of connectors being in line with the town’s residents.”

According to Zap-Map, the app and digital platform for EV drivers, there are currently 26,682 charging points in the UK, with 45,504 charge point connectors.

However, by 2030, when the ban on new gas and petrol car sales comes into force, the UK will reportedly need up to 480,000 public charge points, nearly ten times more than the existing amount.

Andy Kerr added: “While the UK as a whole isn’t yet on track for meeting the ambitious environmental targets, it’s helpful for drivers to know if their area is equipped to support the EV lifestyle.

“Even if your home town isn’t currently providing enough EV connectors, if they’re making progress, it’s worth keeping this in mind for your next vehicle.”

Coventry ranked as the second most EV-ready UK area, with 618 people per EV charging connector, based on the area’s population of 371,520 and 601 connectors.

The figure jumped to 1,021 for Nottingham. Although there are just 65 more connectors than in Coventry, there is a much higher population of 680,200.

Brighton and Sunderland rounded up the top five with a population of 1,124 and 1,129 per connecter, respectively.

However, some UK areas are considerably underprepared for the transition from fuel to electric cars.

Andy Kerr continued: “A considerable rise in drivers switching from fuel cars to EVs is crucial for the UK to meet important carbon emission goals. However, many drivers still don’t feel confident that there will be enough resources to maintain an EV.”

Following Southend-on-Sea, the second-least EV ready UK location is Aldershot, which also has just two charging connectors for 183,900 people. 

In third place is Chatham, which has a population of 39,794 per EV public connector, with only seven connectors for 278,560 people.

While Newcastle has slightly more connectors, of 29, it doesn’t mirror the large population of 863,760, amounting to 29,785 per connector.

Rounding up the five least EV friendly UK locations is Blackpool, with a population of 22,023 per connector, of which there are just ten.

Andy Kerr concluded: “While EV charging connectors may not be a priority for many drivers at the moment, this will soon change when the options for new cars are drastically limited to low-emission vehicles.

“If residents don’t feel able to make the transition to EVs in their area, due to a lack of resources, it could cause them to move somewhere new. Not providing enough EV charging points could even deter tourists from visiting.”

The top five EV-friendly UK Areas:

1. Milton Keynes – 435 people per EV charging connector.
2. Coventry – 618 people per EV charging connector, 
3. Nottingham – 1,021 people per EV charging connector.
4. Brighton 1,124 per EV charging connector. 
5. Sunderland – 1,129 people per EV charging connector.
   

The five least prepared areas for the EV takeover:

1. Southend-on-Sea – 180,435 people per EV charging connector.
2. Aldershot – 91,950 people per EV charging connector.
3. Chatham – 39,794 people per EV charging connector.
4. Newcastle – 29,785 people per EV charging connector. 
5. Blackpool – 22,023 people per EV charging connector.
   

About BOXT

BOXT offers a range of smart systems, including electric vehicle chargers, for homes across the UK. Customers can use a ‘find an EV charger’ online tool to identify the most suitable option by asking a few simple questions about their property and vehicle.

All of BOXT’s chargers are compatible with all types of electric vehicles. With the online tool, users can also check whether they’re eligible for the Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant.