Swindon "unprepared" for electric vehicles
Research has found the town has more than 200 electric vehicles for every one charging point
Last updated 13th Apr 2022
The ban on sales of petrol and diesel cars from 2030 is encouraging drivers to consider more environmentally friendly cars.
New research by esure, reveals which areas in the UK are the best, and worst, prepared for an EV future based on the number of hybrid/electric vehicles and available charging points per area.
London comes out on top as the best prepared with only 4.1 cars per charger, meaning you won’t face much competition should you find yourself on low battery all of a sudden.
Representing the north is Sunderland which follows closely behind in spot number two with just 4.7 cars per charger and Scotland’s Kirkwall makes an appearance in third with 7.2 cars per charger.
The North East is leading the way for an EV future with four cities making the top 10 including both Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Durham taking the fourth and fifth positions with 8.4 and 10.7 cars per charger respectively.
Rounding out the top 10 is Dumfries (11.6), Brighton (11.8), Manchester (12.2), and Nottingham is in the tenth spot with a 13.6 cars per charger.
But where in the UK is the worst prepared? (Number of cars per charger)
- Stockport - 448.3
- Swindon - 291.8
- Slough - 244.7
- Harrogate - 134.2
- Peterborough - 128.8
- Leeds - 111.5
- Bristol - 103.6
- Bath - 100.9
- Bolton - 96.5
- Telford - 95.2
On the other end of the scale are the likes of Stockport where you might be waiting a while for an available charger given that there are 448.3 EV and hybrid cars on the road per charger.
Meanwhile, Swindon’s EV charging infrastructure means that 291.8 EV and hybrid cars will have to compete in order to find a charger and Slough is not much better with 244.7.
Commenting on the research, Neil Dwyer at esure, says: "As EV sales continue to rise and the UK becomes more eco-conscious, we wanted to see which areas are already getting ready for an EV future.
"As indicated within our research, it’s crucial that some of these locations invest in their EV infrastructure in order to ensure a smooth transition for those on the road before the end of the decade.
"However, regardless of where you live, if you’re driving an EV or planning on doing so anytime soon, it’s important to make sure you’re properly covered and have the appropriate insurance in place should any problems arise."