Electric vehicle drivers can circumnavigate mainland UK for free according to new research by Peugeot UK.
More than a tenth of the UK’s 35,000 public chargers are free to use, and Peugeot UK has plotted a 2,688-mile journey around the coastline of the mainland to highlight the extent of the cost-saving infrastructure.
Starting at Land’s End, the route runs along England’s southern and eastern coasts, up through Scotland via John O’Groats before returning to Land’s End through Wales using only free public chargers.
The furthest distance between two free charge points on the route between Chelmsford and Sandringham, is 168 miles, within the 225-mile (WLTP) range of the Peugeot e-208.
Many of the approximately 4,400 free charge points in the UK are located in retail parks, hotels and public car parks and are funded by retailers, landowners and some Local Authorities, allowing drivers to charge overnight or run errands while their vehicles charge.
The ChargePlace Scotland network features more than 2,000 chargers, with the majority available for free to users who have the ChargePlace Scotland app or who pay a one-off £10 fee for a charging card.
Driving the same route in a petrol or diesel version of the same car can cost drivers up to £421.
An 80% charge using a 50kW rapid charger costs an estimated £26, while using home charging, and taking advantage of lower energy tariffs can bring the same charge down to just £6.80.
Julie David, managing director, Peugeot UK, said: “Road trips are a great way to experience what the UK has to offer and our research shows the significant cost savings available for electric vehicle drivers thanks to its network of free-to-use public chargers. While few motorists are likely to complete the full 2,688-mile loop, our research highlights the potentially under-used free charging network in the UK.”
