New Index reveals top EV-friendly UK tourist attractions, as over half of Brits plan ‘staycations’ this year

As the summer holiday season approaches, a new tool to transform the way electric vehicle (EV) owners plan their ‘staycations’ has been unveiled. The EV Holiday Hotspot Index, developed by the UK’s leading EV charging provider, GRIDSERVE, will help EV-driving travellers looking to holiday at UK tourist attractions this year.

New data shows over half (57%) of British families are planning a ‘staycation’ this year, embarking on journeys averaging 100-200 miles. With around half of the UK’s tourist attractions unreachable by public transport, the vast majority of holidaymakers will be travelling by car, emitting over 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ in 2023’s holiday season alone^[iii]. Around 38,000 acres of trees would need to be planted to offset these journeys – an area larger than Bristol.

With just one in 10 of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions currently offering on-site EV charging^[iv], the EV Holiday Hotspot Index provides an easy-to-use ranking of the top 10 UK tourist attractions that have convenient and reliable charging infrastructure nearby for EV owners, giving them the confidence to enjoy and explore the best this nation has to offer.

Laura Hardy, Chief Communications Officer of GRIDSERVE, said: “With the UK’s fascinating history and immense natural beauty, it’s no wonder staycations are the go-to option for over half of Brits. However, we know that limited public transport and nervousness around EV charging options can be a challenge for some visitors, particularly those looking to travel more sustainably. That’s why our EV Holiday Hotspot Index is so important. It’s designed to help drivers make informed decisions and increase confidence in EV travel across the UK.

“The Index will enable drivers to pinpoint their perfect staycation and cut emissions along the way. It is a truly fantastic resource that will continually update as we expand our UK-wide network of High Power EV chargers at the speed and scale that is needed to help move the needle on climate change.”

To create the Index, GRIDSERVE analysed the most popular tourist attractions across the country and calculated an overall score out of 100, based on the proximity to a GRIDSERVE Electric Super Hub or Electric Forecourt®, where EV drivers can take advantage of the most powerful 350kW-capable High Power chargers, allowing the latest electric models to add 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes. It also considered the number of DC connectors available per visitor, the number of AC chargers per visitor – that support longer dwell charging at stops such as supermarkets and shopping centres – plus the availability of EV charging at nearby hotels, B&Bs, caravan parks and other accommodation.

An overall top 10 list of EV-friendly tourist attractions was created, as well as a top five list for each region of the UK, providing an ‘at-a-glance’ overview of the best destinations in the East Midlands, East of England, North East, North West, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, and Yorkshire & Humber.

The UK’s top EV-friendly tourist attractions are:

1. Beamish, the Living Museum of the North – This immersive museum tells the story of life in the North East during the 19^th and early 20^th
2. Midlands Arts Centre – This pioneering arts complex in Birmingham hosts theatre, dance, music and comedy performances.
3. Durham Cathedral – This Norman cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a key filming location for the Harry Potter films.
4. Hampton Court Palace – Famously home to Henry VIII, this palace is a Grade I-listed building near Kingston-upon-Thames.
5. Eden Project – This botanical garden and tourist attraction in Cornwall uses huge glass domes to house different ecosystems, showcasing the interactions between plants and animals.
6. National Railway Museum – This museum located in York tells the story of the development of rail transport in Britain.
7. Pugneys Country Park – A large wildlife park located in West Yorkshire including activities like a light railway, a castle, and two lakes.
8. Millennium Gallery – This art gallery is Sheffield’s top destination for arts and design.
9. The Bodleian Library – This impressive hub of knowledge in Oxford is one of the oldest libraries in Europe.
10. Stonehenge – A prehistoric monument made up of a ring of iconic standing stones in Salisbury.

Becca Chaplin, motoring journalist and owner of Road Trip Club, said: “For young families like mine, it’s so important to have the reassurance that EV charging will be readily available at the locations we visit. With EV adoption growing and staycations remaining ever-popular, GRIDSRVE’s Index will help families plan visits that work the best for them, from museums, to castles, to galleries.

“We used the EV Holiday Hotspot Index to plan our latest family staycation, where we drove nearly 400 miles from Portsmouth to County Durham to visit Beamish Museum, the top-ranked attraction on the Index. We planned our journey around some of GRIDSERVE’s new Electric Super Hubs, which offer the latest High Power EV chargers and in banks of six, 12 or more, and that really takes the stress out of charging.”

GRIDSERVE is continuing to roll out Electric Super Hubs and Electric Forecourts® right across the UK. Already, 60% of the UK’s top tourist attractions are within 40 miles of a site offering 350kW-capable High Power chargers that can fully charge a car in less than 30 minutes.

The closest attraction to GRIDSERVE Electric Super Hubs or Electric Forecourts® is Nymans – a Grade II-listed National Trust garden and historic house that is less than three miles from Moto Pease Pottage. A close second is the iconic Stonehenge landmark, which is just six miles from Solstice Park.

GRIDSERVE plans to release an updated EV Holiday Hotspot Index biannually to keep drivers updated on the best places to staycation in an EV every year.

^[i]Census survey of 1,000 people conducted on behalf of GRIDSERVE.

^[ii]Visit Britain, Annual Trends Report

^[iii]Calculation based on the Department for Transport’s UK average of 136.4g/km per car.

^[iv]Visit Britain, Annual Trends Report