Bedford tops UK towns for free EV charging points, Liverpool lags behind
A new study reveals a stark inconsistency in free charging availability across Britain.
In a recent study by Independent Advisor Car Insurance, UK towns and cities were ranked based on the availability of free electric vehicle charging points, and Bedford has emerged as the frontrunner. Meanwhile, the charming Bedfordshire market town not only secured a spot in the top five of the overall rankings but also boasts the highest percentage of free EV charging stations in the entire United Kingdom. An impressive 98 per cent of Bedford's EV chargers are free to use, with a generous 14.47 free chargers available per 10,000 residents.
In stark contrast, Liverpool found itself at the bottom of the list. With only 19 per cent of its EV chargers being free, the city provides a mere 1.06 free chargers per 10,000 residents. This puts Liverpool behind major cities like London and Newcastle upon Tyne, which have 21 per cent (2.26 chargers per 10,000) and 23 per cent (2.7 chargers per 10,000) free charging points, respectively.
UK towns and cities with the highest percentage of free EV charging points:
|
Rank |
City/Town |
Population |
No. of Paid EV Charging Points |
No. of Free EV Charging Points |
No. of Free EV Chargers Per 10,000 People |
% Of Free EV Charging Points |
|
1 |
Bedford |
106,940 |
3 |
155 |
14.47 |
98% |
|
2 |
Nottingham |
729,977 |
11 |
632 |
8.63 |
98% |
|
3 |
Warrington |
165,456 |
3 |
122 |
7.40 |
98% |
|
4 |
Dudley |
199,059 |
2 |
81 |
4.09 |
98% |
|
5 |
Aberdeen |
196,670 |
1 |
59 |
2.99 |
98% |
|
6 |
Milton Keynes |
229,941 |
12 |
451 |
19.54 |
97% |
|
7 |
Derby |
270,468 |
8 |
207 |
7.63 |
96% |
|
8 |
Lincoln |
114,879 |
5 |
91 |
7.94 |
95% |
|
9 |
Dundee |
147,710 |
5 |
93 |
6.30 |
95% |
|
10 |
Slough |
163,777 |
3 |
55 |
3.36 |
95% |
However, the availability of free chargers isn't the only factor to consider when transitioning to an electric vehicle. To assist potential EV buyers, Independent Advisor Car Insurance also compared insurance quotes for the five most popular electric cars registered in the third quarter of 2023, all of which have starting prices below £31,000.
The future of EV charging:
The findings reveal that while the initial cost of popular electric vehicles might be higher than their combustion engine counterparts, the insurance costs are relatively comparable. Nevertheless, it's important to note that at the higher end of the spectrum, EV insurance quotes can surpass those for combustion vehicles by almost £300.
EV vs. combustion engine: which is cheaper to insure?
|
Electric |
Combustion |
||||
|
Model |
UK Price Range £ |
Quote Price |
Model |
Price Range (£) |
Quote Price |
|
Nissan Leaf |
From 28,495 |
967 |
Mini Cooper |
From 22,935 |
922 |
|
Renault Zoe |
From 29,995 |
808 |
500 Lounge |
From 16,790 |
841 |
|
Mg Zs Electric |
From 30,495 |
1,126 |
Focus Zetec TDCI |
From 29,650 |
987 |
|
Mg 4 Electric |
From 26,995 |
1,227 |
Astra SRI |
From 29,160 |
807 |
|
Hyundai Ioniq Electric |
From 30,750 |
1,275 |
Corsa SE |
From 19,625 |
796 |
Source: Car Insurance
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