Christmas traffic: Map reveals the best EV chargers to avoid queues

The quick and convenient alternatives to busy motorway charging hubs this Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, up to 16 million drivers are expected to take to the road, including many of the UK’s one million EV owners.

Recent years have seen Christmas queues at chargers as thousands of extra drivers heading off for the holidays all look to top-up en route. While the charging network is expanding rapidly, especially along key routes such as motorways, so too is the number of EVs, and the sudden surge in users all looking to top up could still lead to hold-ups this year.

To help motorists avoid this, charging network Be.EV has compiled a list and map of ultra-rapid charging hubs just off key motorways where drivers can top-up quickly with just a short detour.

The M1, M5, M6, M25 and M60 are among the motorways expected to face severe traffic in the days leading up to Christmas, with service stations and their charging areas predicted to be just as overloaded.

Thankfully there are plenty of alternative charging sites within 10 minutes of them where drivers can skip the queues and get back on their way with just a minor detour. In many cases the hubs are located near retail and food outlets too, meaning you’re not missing out by leaving the motorway.

Those heading through Manchester on the M60 can use the 16 ultra-rapid bays at Sale Water Park, close to Junction 6 or 15 ultra-rapid bays at Decathlon Stockport, next to Junction 1. The 10 bays of White City Retail Park are also 10 minutes from Junction 7 of the M60.

On the M6 around Birmingham, a ten-minute diversion will take you to BP Pulse’s 40-bay hub at NEC East. Further north on the M6, there are eight Be.EV bays at IMO Carlisle, close to Junction 44.

Along the M25, there are ultra-rapid charging bays in Cobham, Watford, Waltham Abbey, Chafford Hundred, Dunton Green and Redhill – all within a 10-minute drive of their respective motorway exits.

On the M1, Leicester has three ultra-rapid charging hubs within minutes of Junction 21, and for those driving as far North as Nottingham, there are two hubs a short drive from Junction 26.

Adrian Fielden-Gray, COO of Be.EV said: “If you’re a new EV driver this Christmas, charging queues should be the least of your worries. Rather than having to wait at a service station, a small shift in how you charge your vehicle can save you a lot of time and frustration.

“Huge numbers of supermarkets, restaurants and retail parks now have EV charging in their car parks – all just minutes from the motorway, making it more convenient than ever to charge up.

“They’re quieter, faster, and just as convenient, and have the added benefit of allowing you to do any last-minute present shopping, grab any forgotten food and drink for Christmas dinner, or simply grab a coffee whilst you wait.

“The average range of an EV is almost 300 miles, so chances are you won’t need to charge on the way if you leave with a full battery. However, if you’re visiting various family and friends over the festive period you may be doing more public charging than normal, so it’s important to know the best spots to charge.”

The full list

M60

• Sale Water Park, Rifle Road, Sale, M33 2LX
• Decathlon Stockport, George’s Road, Decathlon, Stockport, SK4 1DN
• White City Retail Park, Chester Road, Manchester, M16 0RP

M25

• EV Waitrose Cobham, 16 Oakdene Road, Cobham, South East, KT11 1AF
• Shell Chiswell, 551 Watford Road, St Albans, AL2 3EH
• Epping Forest Cornmill, Cornmill Car Park, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1RB
• Tesco Extra Lakeside, Cygnet View, Lakeside West Thurrock, Grays, RM20 1TX
• Lakeside Shopping Centre, West Thurrock Way, Essex, Grays, RM20 2ZP
• Miller & Carter Sevenoaks, Amherst Hill, Sevenoaks, TN13 2EN
• Viewpoint Car Park Wray Lane, Wray Lane, Reigate, RH2 0HX

M6

• NEC East Car Park 3, East Car Park Road (I), Birmingham, Solihull, B40 1PW
• Birchley Island, Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury, Sandwell, B69 4RJ
• Holiday Inn Birmingham, Birmingham, B43 7BG
• IMO Carlisle, London Road, Carlisle, CA1 2PD

M1

• McDonald’s Meridian Way, Meridian Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester, LE19 1WZ
• Sainsbury’s Fosse Park, Grove Farm Triangle, Enderby, Leicester, LE19 1WT
• Victoria Street Car Park, Victoria Street Car Park, Stapleford, Nottingham, NG9 7AP
• Hickory’s Smokehouse, Upminster Drive, Nuthall, Nottingham, NG16 1PT
• IMO Alfreton, Nottingham Road, Alfreton, DE55 4JJ
• Sheffield Parkway Central Retail Park, Cricket Inn Road, Sheffield Parkway, Sheffield, S2 5AU