The Electric Car Scheme has conducted research, revealing which cities across the UK have the highest number of free charging points compared to their population.
When it comes to which locations across the UK have the highest number of free EV charging points, four of the top five are in Scotland.
Taking the crown for the most free EV plug-in points in the UK is Kilmarnock, Scotland, with 21 stations for its 46,350 residents, or 4.5 stations per every 10,000 people.
In second place is Ayr, Scotland with 4.2 free charging stations for every 10,000 residents. Stirling, Scotland is in third with 2.2 per capita, followed by Dumfries, Scotland and Durham, England with 1.5 free places to charge an EV available for every 10,000 people in both locations.
Scotland manages to claim four of the top spots due to its ChargePlace Scotland scheme. Developed by the Scottish government, the scheme aims to make owning an EV accessible for all Scottish drivers and 90% of the public EV charging points on their network are free to use.
| Rank | City | Population | No. of free charging points | No. of free charging points per 10,000 people |
| 1 | Kilmarnock | 46,350 | 21 | 4.5 |
| 2 | Ayr | 47,190 | 20 | 4.2 |
| 3 | Stirling | 36,440 | 8 | 2.2 |
| =4 | Dumfries | 33,280 | 5 | 1.5 |
| =4 | Durham | 47,785 | 7 | 1.5 |
| 5 | Paisley | 76,220 | 10 | 1.31 |
Southend-on-Sea, England, has been found to be the worst place in the UK for free EV charging stations, with there being only one on offer for all of its 295,310 residents.
The London Borough of Bexley has come in second place, with just one place to charge for free, though it is home to slightly fewer residents (228,000). In joint second place is Cardiff, with the Welsh capital offering its 447,290 residents just two free EV charging points to choose from.
| Rank | City | Population | No. of free charging points | No. of free charging points per 10,000 people |
| 1 | Southend-on-Sea | 295,310 | 1 | 0.03 |
| =2 | Bexley | 228,000 | 1 | 0.04 |
| =2 | Cardiff | 447,287 | 2 | 0.04 |
| 3 | Walsall | 172,141 | 1 | 0.06 |
| =4 | Burnley | 149,422 | 1 | 0.07 |
| =4 | Bolton | 141,331 | 1 | 0.07 |
| =4 | West Bromwich | 135,618 | 1 | 0.07 |
Thom Groot, CEO of The Electric Car Scheme, said: “Purchase cost is still one of the EV industry’s biggest challenges, but as sales continue to climb, these prices will subsequently drop. At The Electric Car Scheme, we also offer used cars through salary sacrifice, which is another great way to lower buying costs.
“Ahead of the 2035 ban on petrol and diesel cars, the UK government has also put schemes in place to support the transition to EVs, including networks of more affordable public, on-street, home, and workplace charging. Free charging points are also, of course, incredibly helpful for keeping EV costs down. The industry is developing at a rapid pace, so even if your city or town doesn’t currently have lots of free charging spots available, it doesn’t mean you won’t see these being implemented in the future.
“EVs already cost less to run than petrol and diesel cars, and over the next few years we’re expecting to see even greater advancement in EV technology, from improved battery design to ultra-fast charging options, which means owning an EV will become even more cost-effective.”
