Nottingham is EV rapid charging capital of UK - Select Car Leasing
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Nottingham named electric car rapid charging capital of UK

Nottingham has the most rapid and ultra-rapid electric car chargers compared with anywhere else in the UK, according to a new study.


EV data provider Zap-Map teamed-up with Admiral Car Insurance to plot the number of publicly-available high speed chargers in each UK city.

Overall, the number of rapid and ultra-rapid chargers has increased by more than 490% since the end of 2016.

There were 973 rapid and ultra-rapid devices at the end of 2016, and by the end of April 2022 the UK had over 5,750.

That’s good news if you’re one of the many motorists considering an electric vehicle as your next lease.


And if you’re based in the Midlands there’s even better news, because while Nottingham headed the charts, Birmingham, Coventry and Milton Keynes also all feature in the Top 5 run-down.

A spokesperson for the study explained the reason behind the research, saying: 

“EV drivers charging at home, for instance, typically use what are known as ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ devices to charge up overnight. In contrast, rapid chargers take between 20 minutes to an hour to add around 100 miles of charge – and are found at many different locations from motorway service areas and fuel forecourts to restaurants, hotels and retail car parks.


“Even speedier are ultra-rapid devices, which can add more or less 100 miles of charge in around 15 minutes. Useful for drivers undertaking longer journeys, they tend to be found in groups of between six and ten. The analysis saw Birmingham come out on top in this respect, with 39 high-powered ultra-rapid chargers.”


Electric charging is a hot topic right now, with more than 480,000 pure-electric cars on UK roads, plus more than 390,000 plug-in hybrids.

The 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars also draws ever nearer,

Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder & COO at Zap-Map, said: 

“As the number of pure-electric cars on the road approaches half a million, a robust charging network is critical. Over the past few years there has been huge investment in high-powered chargers and it's great to see many cities across the UK having a strong provision.

“There are of course a range of different needs when it comes to charging an EV, but continued investment in high-powered chargers for longer journeys is crucial as the number of EVs on the road continues to grow at pace. Nottingham may well be leading the charge in this area right now, but it will certainly be interesting to see which city takes the top spot in two years’ time.”


To find rapid and ultra-rapid charging points near your, download the Zap-Map app or visit www.zap-map.com.


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