Cities that could benefit from rapid charge fund revealed

Stoke-on-Trent, Southend and Birmingham are among the cities that could benefit most from the government’s £500 million ‘Rapid Charging Fund’ for more electric vehicle charge points, according to new research by Uswitch.com.

Uswitch.com’s ‘Electric Nation’ study shows that some parts of the UK are much less prepared for the rise of EVs than others.

With just one public charging point for each of the city’s 268 electric vehicles, Stoke-on-Trent would benefit significantly from the new funding to encourage its drivers to go green. Just ahead was Southend (one charging point to every 202 EVs) and Birmingham (1 to 175).  

Top of the rankings for charging points was Bristol, where 23 electric vehicles each have access to their own public charging station. Milton Keynes (1 to 23) and Dundee (1 to 28) also lead the way in current provisions for EV drivers.

Top ten UK cities for EV charging provisions as of May 2020:

Bristol - 22.9 EVs per charging point
Milton Keynes - 23.4 EVs per charging point
Dundee - 28 EVs per charging point
Oxford - 28.5 EVs per charging point
Brighton - 28.6 EVs per charging point
Sunderland - 30.7 EVs per charging point
Greater London - 35 EVs per charging point
Coventry - 35.4 EVs per charging point
Lancaster - 41.3 EVs per charging point
Exeter - 43.3 EVs per charging point

Bottom ten UK cities for EV charging provisions as of May 2020:

Stoke-on-Trent - 268 EVs per charging point
Southend - 201.8 EVs per charging point
Birmingham - 174.9 EVs per charging point
Wolverhampton - 164 EVs per charging point
Bolton - 161.3 EVs per charging point
Hull - 157.4 EVs per charging point
Bradford - 149.2 EVs per charging point
Wakefield - 138 EVs per charging point
Preston - 131.9 EVs per charging point
Leicester - 122.7 EVs per charging point

Despite these figures, it’s clear that many local councils are putting serious effort into EV charging provisions in their towns and cities. Comparing the results from a previous study in April 2019, Coventry had made the biggest changes in provisions over the last year, installing more than 140 new charging stations - a rise of 293%. Sheffield (up 147%) and Derby (up 142%) also made great strides.

Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “It’s a really exciting time to be an EV driver. This research suggests that the Rapid Charging Fund could have a significant impact for drivers across the UK - especially for those living in cities such as Stoke-on-Trent, Southend and Birmingham who are thinking about purchasing one.

“The funding will be instrumental in delivering a more sustainable future for the nation’s transport. It’s crucial though that this investment is spent wisely and is targeted towards the regions that need the funding most.

“While there is no obvious regional divide across the UK, it’s clear some locations are more prepared than others. We  look forward to seeing how these changes can help bridge the gaps and impact what vehicles we see on our roads in the years to come.”