Driving home for Christmas: the range of an EV on a single charge

Christmas is a busy time for all, especially for those with a lot of distance to travel. For those people, it may be just that which has them reluctant to switch to an electric car.

It’s the dreaded ‘range anxiety’: the fear and thought of running out of juice mid-journey in the middle of the motorway.

But this fear couldn’t be more misplaced. We’re here to debunk the short-distance myths of EVs in the context of cities you can reach in one charge – there and back again. Whether Let's keep that range anxiety at bay.

How far can I drive in an EV?

Government statistics and data from the RAC black boxes reveal that “the average UK journey is around 10 miles, so most electric vehicles would be able to complete an entire week’s worth of commuting before needing to be plugged in.”

Depending on the model, the average distance of an EV on one charge is between 300km to 500km. That’s approximately 100 to 300 miles. Much farther than what we’re led to believe, right?

Let's put this into context.

Whether driving for family Christmas celebrations or wintery days out for the holidays - what are the furthest UK cities an electric car can reach, there and back, on a single charge? From the South to the North of England and Wales to Scotland, we’re covering the range of an EV from across the UK.

Remember: in winter, your electric car's range may not be as far due to the colder weather. Using your heating uses electricity, after all!

EV range from London

From London, you can reach as far north as Birmingham (126 miles) or Wolverhampton (130 miles) and get back home on a single charge - or, if you're charging at your destination, your electric car has the range enough to reach Newcastle in 283 miles.

West, you can reach as far as Bristol (118 miles) and then some. With somewhere to charge over Christmas, the furthest west you can reach on one charge (just the one way) is Falmouth in under 295 miles.

As for the east and south, take your pick - from London, you'll be able to reach them all on a single charge and have enough to get you back that day! But, if you're looking more south-west way, you can realistically reach Dorset (124 miles) on one charge, too

Range of EV from Sunderland and Newcastle

If you're heading north from either Sunderland or Newcastle, the furthest you can reach in one charge, with enough charge to get home again, is Glasgow in 151 miles.

At a similar distance of 145 miles, Blackpool has plenty of reach for a single charge both there and back in your EV if you're heading south or west.

Sheffield is as far south (133 miles) as an electric car can reach if you're needing that same charge to get back home. If you're wanting to go further, and have charging options while you stay, you can reach as south as London in 283 miles from Newcastle - all in one charge.

Distance of electric car from Sheffield

Driving further north, Newcastle can be reached under 136 miles from Sheffield, and the Lake District is just 135 miles away, too - more than enough charge to get you there and back.

The gorgeous landscapes of the Cotswolds are just 138 miles south of Sheffield, still in range of an electric car on a single charge.

If you have further to go and want to go in one charge, just the one way, you will have enough power to get you (north) to Glasgow in 258 miles and (south) down to Brighton in 230 miles from Sheffield. Just make sure you have somewhere to charge while you stay!

Distance of an EV from Southampton

If you're heading north from Southampton, and need enough charge to get back home, you can reach as far as Birmingham in approximately 150 miles. For further, you can reach as far north as Middlesbrough on a single charge, just that one way, in under 300 miles.

Heading right? You can reach as far as Canterbury (138 miles) on a single charge if you're wanting to get back home on that same charge. If you're stopping on the way to charge, you can reach that little bit further and meet the sea at Margate or Dover.

To the left, you can reach Exeter within 131 miles and make the trip back to Southampton on a single charge. As for the whole charge, you can make it all the way to the foot of the UK in Penzance (243 miles) and then some before hitting the sea!

Have we dissolved that range anxiety yet?

Range of electric cars from Norwich

Heading inland from Norwich, you can reach Coventry in 150 miles with enough charge to make it home. The furthest you can reach, driving north, is Newcastle (253 miles) - and then some!

EV range from Exeter

Portsmouth is just 130 miles to the right from Exeter - a more-than-manageable round journey on a single charge. A hop, skip, and ferry ride to the Isle of Wight is approximately a 126-mile journey – and that’s without running your EV while on the ferry!

Up north, the furthest your electric car can reach on that single charge, without that return journey, is York at 295 miles. Pretty far, right?

See? The range of an EV is mighty.

Remember, these ranges are calculated to include the journey back, too! If you're staying somewhere for Christmas, and you'll have access to home or public charging, these ranges only grow.

The chances are you'll be stopping somewhere on your journey, too. With most service stations offering rapid charge points, you're always able to top up your charge whether you're stopping for a bite or a full meal.

When it comes to the range of an electric car and the fear of running out of charge, you're never going to be left stranded. With a home EV charger, you can set off ready after charging overnight – using the cheapest energy rates in the process.

To learn more about our EV charging, head over to our last blog post: Installing your EV charger at home.

These ranges are based on the maximum range of an electric car within a 300-mile radius.