The research by used car experts at Available Car has been conducted to shed light on the challenges EV drivers have trying to navigate the UK's charging network, where charging speeds and costs vary significantly based on location and charger type, with the research revealing some big regional differences.
The data, which was collected through an analysis of public EV chargers across UK cities, using charging point data from ZapMap, found that Birmingham is the most EV-friendly city in the UK.
Here’s the top 10 most EV-friendly cities in the UK:
| Rank | City | Region | Number of Chargers per 10,000 people | Average price | Average time to charge | Overall Score |
| 1 | Birmingham | West Midlands | 3.5 | £19.71 | 3.02 | 45.0 |
| 2 | Peterborough | East of England | 5.1 | £16.10 | 3.31 | 46.0 |
| 3 | Durham | North East | 4.0 | £19.54 | 3.26 | 47.0 |
| 4 | Bradford | Yorkshire and the Humber | 2.6 | £24.03 | 2.08 | 48.0 |
| 5 | Southampton | South East | 9.3 | £19.48 | 2.22 | 48.0 |
| 6 | Leeds | Yorkshire and the Humber | 2.6 | £15.84 | 4.51 | 51.0 |
| 7 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | North East | 2.4 | £20.37 | 3.84 | 55.0 |
| 8 | Canterbury | South East | 4.5 | £23.54 | 2.47 | 59.0 |
| 9 | Southend-on-Sea | East of England | 3.8 | £29.05 | 1.29 | 60.0 |
| 10 | Wakefield | Yorkshire and the Humber | 4.6 | £29.39 | 0.80 | 63.0 |
Birmingham came out on top, achieving an overall score of 45 out of 50. While the city doesn’t have the highest number of chargers per capita (3.5 per 10,000 people), it offers a strong balance between affordability and charging time, with an average cost of £19.71 and a relatively speedy average charge time of just over three hours.
Over the last few years, Birmingham has steadily expanded its public charging network as part of its Clean Air Zone and sustainability initiatives, and with an increasing number of rapid and fast chargers across the city, residents and visitors alike can expect more convenient, time-efficient charging experiences.
Though Birmingham claims the top spot, cities like Southampton and Peterborough also performed strongly, especially in terms of charger density.
When it comes to affordability, Peterborough came out third overall, with the research revealing EV drivers in Peterborough are paying an average of £16.10 to charge half the battery. That’s 28% less than the national average of £22.32.
The research revealed some clear regional trends, with the East of England emerging as the most expensive area in the UK for EV charging. Four of the top 10 priciest cities to charge an EV, Cambridge, Southend-on-Sea, Colchester, and St Albans, are all located in this region.
This concentration highlights a significant affordability gap for EV drivers in the East, where charging costs are consistently higher than in many other parts of the country. For those without access to home charging, for example, renters or those living in flats, these elevated prices could present a major obstacle to embracing EVs, undermining national efforts to encourage cleaner, greener transport.
Commenting on the data, Head of Marketing at Available Car, Pam Murdock, said: “As more people make the switch to EVs, I believe it’s so important that charging isn’t just fast and widely available—it also needs to be easy to access and affordable for everyone"
With over a £30 difference between cities for the same charge, the cost of going green is still very much a postcode lottery.”