There are some brilliant road trips waiting to be driven across the UK, giving you a fun and exciting way to discover the best sights that our nation has to offer.
As the UK continues to expand its electric vehicle charging network to suit growing demand, many will be looking to take advantage of improved battery technology to experience these journeys first-hand.
With this in mind, we’ve spotlighted the top 10 UK road trips for electric vehicle (EV) drivers. These routes have been ranked based on key EV-friendly factors, such as the number of chargers available along each journey and the number of full charges needed to complete them.
Our list includes:
- South Downs
- Peak District
- Cotswolds
- Norfolk Coast
- Lake District
- Causeway Coastal Route
- Jurassic Coast
- The Yorkshire Dales
- Pembrokeshire
- North Coast 500
South Downs
South Downs has been crowned the UK’s most EV-friendly road trip. It stands out for having the most EV charging locations, with 250 spots found within two miles of each stop along the route, and the most charging points per kilometre at 1.39 stations.
This road trip across 180km of the south of England also has the second most nearby attractions of all 10 routes analysed, as well as ranking third best for accommodation options with parking.
The route starts in Eastbourne, which the Met Office has listed as being among the UK’s sunniest places, before passing through Brighton and Hove – a city which has 668 attractions nearby and over 100 accommodation options, according to our research.
Chichester Harbour, a popular sailing destination and a haven for wildlife, completes this road trip.
Peak District
Coming in second place is the Peak District road trip, with this route across central England coming out on top for both accommodation options with parking, and the number of nearby attractions.
With 129 charging locations nearby and 0.85 charging points per km too, only the South Downs road trip has better figures of the 10 journeys which make up our list.
This 152km-long Peak District road trip starts in Chesterfield, where our research indicates there are 169 nearby attractions which can be visited before you begin your drive.
You’ll arrive at England’s joint-highest market town when you call into Buxton along the route too, while the bustling city of Manchester will complete this journey.
Cotswolds
We head across to the south west of England for the third spot – the Cotswolds road trip.
The second longest route in our list, at 245km, this journey also sits in second place for the most accommodation options with parking, with 213 spots to choose from.
You’ll find 125 charging stations within two miles of each stop along the route (the third highest of the road trips which make up our list), as well as 1,070 nearby attractions.
Beginning in the historic city of Oxford, this journey will take in The Sunday Times’ second-best place to live in the UK, Cheltenham, and finish in the wonderful market town of Chippenham.
Norfolk Coast
In fourth place, the Norfolk Coast is another great road trip for electric car drivers.
This is because it ranks in third place for the number of EV charging locations per km, at 0.63 stations.
Covering 178km of the East of England, this road trip sets out from Norwich – a city that is home to more than 1,500 historic buildings, 33 of which are medieval churches.
Cromer is part of this road trip too, which has one of the UK’s best beaches according to TimeOut’s handpicked guide, while King’s Lynn is a great finishing destination because of its many examples of maritime heritage.
Lake District
A drive through the Lake District in the north west of England claims fifth place.
This 121km-long journey is the third best of the routes that we’ve analysed for a number of full charges being needed to complete a journey in your EV.
Kendal is where you’ll begin, which our research reveals has more than 100 nearby attractions if you have time to explore this vibrant market town before setting out on the road trip.
Sitting just off Derwentwater, and within easy reach of 165 attractions according to our study, Keswick is part of this road trip too. At the end of this road trip is the market town of Penrith, home to various specialist, family-run shops and atmospheric pubs.
Causeway Coastal Route
We visit Northern Ireland for sixth place, where the Causeway Coastal Route ranks the best for the number of full charges being needed for EV drivers to complete this 111km-long road trip.
Your journey starts in Ballycastle, where you can visit the beach that The Times and Sunday Times named as its top beach in Northern Ireland in their Best UK Beaches guide.
Sports fans should also take note that the route passes by Royal Portrush – the only golf club outside of mainland Britain that hosts the Open Championship.
Your road trip will end in Derry, which our research states has more than 230 nearby attractions available to visit and close to 40 accommodation options to choose from.
Jurassic Coast
It’s another trip to the South of England for seventh place on our list – the Jurassic Coast road trip.
Covering 117km of the nation’s south coast, only the Causeway Coastal Route fares better when it comes to the number of full charges needed to get your EV along this entire route.
Your journey will start in Dorchester – a place that Which? members have listed as being one of the UK’s best towns because of its scenery and shopping options.
Weymouth is called into along the route, where our study reveals you can find a fantastic harbour scene and more than 180 other nearby attractions, before ending in the beautiful coastal resort of Swanage.
The Yorkshire Dales
Sealing eighth position is a trip to the North of England countryside with the Yorkshire Dales road trip.
One of the longer routes on our list at 175km, this route starts in the market town of Penrith, which we mentioned earlier. So, you can combine this with the Lake District road trip for an extended journey.
There’s a relaxing stop at Hawes along this route, which shares the accolade of being England’s highest market town and is also known for its Wensleydale cheese.
Harrogate is where this journey ends. Our research indicates that you will have close to 200 nearby attractions to explore once you’re parked up in this charming town.
Pembrokeshire
In ninth place is a visit to Wales, with a 155km-long drive through Pembrokeshire.
Among the more appealing routes we’ve analysed for the number of full charges needed for your EV, Fishguard is the first destination on this road trip and has some amazing beaches to visit.
Further along this drive is St Davids – Britain’s smallest city, featuring various historical buildings, cultural spots and dramatic backdrops.
The seaside town of Tenby completes this road trip, which is often filled with holiday entertainment and many activities to enjoy.
North Coast 500
Our top 10 UK road trips for EV drivers ends with a trip to Scotland and the chance to experience the North Coast 500 road trip.
As the longest route that we’ve looked at, at 839km, this is a journey worth the drive.
It begins in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands and with surroundings said to be home to the Loch Ness monster if the myth is to be believed.
The village of Gairloch is also part of the road trip, seen as one of the UK’s hotspots for cetacean and whale spotting, while the final few miles of driving to reach Applecross will put you on the Bealach na Bà – one of the nation’s great driving roads.
Getting away this year?
With staycations becoming increasingly popular, many are looking a little closer to home and heading out to experience what the UK has to offer. By using our research, electric vehicle drivers won't have to worry about the likes of range anxiety either, as they're able to better plan their journeys across some of the UK's most iconic locations.
If you'd like to read more, our blog and news sections are home to a wide range of automotive articles and guides, such as the best used electric cars and electric car servicing explained, allowing you and your car to be fully prepared for any adventures you may take.
Methodology
Our campaign to find the UK’s top 10 EV-friendly road trips considered the following metrics:
- Number of EV charging locations nearby: The number of EV charging locations within two miles (3.2 km) of the route was sourced via PlugShare. Charging stations included all available networks on PlugShare: Allego, Blink, bp pulse, ChargePoint, Supercharger, Tesla Destination, and Other (including non-networked locations). Plug types considered all that were available on PlugShare: CCS2, CCS1, CHAdeMO, J-1772, Tesla (Roadster), Type 2, Type 3, Caravan Mains Socket, Commando, and Wall (BS1363). The kilowatt (kW) range for charging stations included all options from 0 kW to 350+ kW.
- Number of EV charging locations per km: This metric was calculated by dividing the total number of charging locations along the route by the total distance of the road trip.
- Number of full charges needed – The total distance of each road trip was sourced from Viaboo. The estimated number of full charges required was then calculated using the average range of the top 10 most sold EVs in 2024, as reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The average range of these vehicles was 308.8 miles (497 km) per charge.
- Number of accommodation options with parking along the route: This metric was sourced from Booking.com. Availability was checked for a one-night stay from Saturday, 8th March to Sunday, 9th March at locations along the route.
- Number of nearby attractions: This metric was sourced from Tripadvisor.
Each of these metrics has then been weighted equally to generate an overall score out of 100, to form the top 10 list. The routes of each road trip are as follows:
- South Downs: Starts in Eastbourne. Travels through Lewes, Brighton, Arundel and Petworth. Finishes in Chichester.
- Peak District: Starts in Chesterfield. Travels through Bakewell, Buxton, Castleton and Bamford. Finishes in Manchester.
- Cotswolds: Starts in Oxford. Travels through Burford, Bourton on the Water, Cheltenham, Painswick and Cirencester. Finishes in Chippenham.
- Norfolk Coast: Starts in Norwich. Travels through Hemsby, Cromer, Blakeney and Hunstanton. Finishes in King's Lynn.
- Lake District: Starts in Kendal. Travels through Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick. Finishes in Penrith.
- Causeway Coastal Route: Starts in Ballycastle. Travels through Bushmills, Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock. Finishes in Derry.
- Jurassic Coast: Starts in Dorchester. Travels through Weymouth and Wareham. Finishes in Swanage.
- The Yorkshire Dales: Starts in Penrith. Travels through Kirkby Stephen, Hawes and Malham. Finishes in Harrogate.
- Pembrokeshire: Starts in Fishguard. Travels through St Davids, Marloes and Pembroke. Finishes in Tenby.
- North Coast 500: Starts in Inverness. Travels through Wick, Thurso, Durness, Ullapool and Gairloch. Finishes in Applecross.
