Only 6% of UK hotels provide EV charging facilities
– with smaller cities ranking highest for EV-friendly hotels
Our research has uncovered the top UK cities that provide EV charging facilities, revealing that only 6% of city hotels offer customers access to chargers.
By analysing over 15,000 hotels across 74 UK cities, we’ve uncovered a wide disparity in EV charging availability, with major cities failing to provide suitable charging infrastructure.
St Davids in Wales ranked top for EV-friendly hotels, with over one in five (22%) providing EV charging facilities, followed by Milton Keynes (16%), Central London (15%) and St Albans (12%).
Despite having the largest number of hotels with parking, major cities like Birmingham, Manchester, and York still lag in the proportion of hotels offering charging facilities compared to smaller cities. Only 1 in 25 (4%) Birmingham hotels offer this amenity.
Commenting on the findings, Director of Energy Services Adam Hall said:
“We are seeing a record number of electric vehicles on our roads with zero emission vehicles accounting for 2.7 per cent of all cars in use in 2023.
While uptake is often higher in major metropolitan cities like London, where policies, such as the ULEZ, incentivise EV ownership, our research shows a need for further development in charging infrastructure across hotels."
Top 20 Cities for EV Charging at Hotels
Hotels with EV charging in UK major cities
Despite Birmingham listing the most hotels with parking, only 26 out of 723 offer EV charging – a mere 3.6%.
Central London is making good progress, with 1 in 6 hotels with parking equipped for EVs. York (8%), Bristol (6%), Edinburgh (6%), and Manchester (6%) followed.
Our data reveals a need for big cities to invest further in EV charging infrastructure. Hotels which invest in EV chargers are in an advantageous position, staying ahead of potential government requirements and avoiding future retrofit costs and disruptions.
Hotels with EV chargers also contribute to the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) grid, offering the public more accessibility to charge points and promoting sustainability.
Naomi Nye, our Head of Sales, explained:
“As EV adoption grows, hotels must focus on becoming more EV-friendly. Offering EV chargers is no longer a premium experience but a necessity.
These findings underline the growing importance of EV infrastructure in the hospitality industry to support the UK's net-zero ambitions. This is a key area for growth and investment to attract more eco-conscious travellers.”
To learn more about the key opportunities in the hospitality industry, get in touch.
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