The East of England emerged in as the most expensive UK region for EV charging, with eight of the 10 priciest cities charging more than £25 to half-fill a battery
Electric car users have been shown exactly where is cheapest to charge up – and where the most expensive chargers are located.
According to a detailed analysis by AvailableCar, Leicester is the most affordable city for charging an electric vehicle (EV) in the UK in 2025 — EV owners there pay less than a third of what they have to fork out in the most expensive city, which is Cambridge.
AvailableCar says: “If you’re visiting Cambridge and need to charge your EV, be prepared for a hefty bill. The city tops the list as the most expensive place for EV charging, with drivers paying an average of £45.52 per charge. This figure is significantly more expensive than the national average and more than £16 (56%) higher than the second most expensive city [Wakefield]. “
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The company states that the average cost of charging a battery to half full in Leicester is £12.60, while Leeds, the city ranked second-cheapest on the list, has an average cost of £15.84 to do the same — meaning Leicester is £6.48 cheaper than anywhere else in the country to fill your battery, according to AvailableCar.
The city’s also tops the charts in another key area, but not necessarily a positive one — average charging time. In Leicester the average time to charge a battery to half capacity is around eight and a quarter hours, indicating reliance on slower chargers, which are generally cheaper to use, making it the ideal location for overnight or extended parking charging sessions, rather than quick top-ups.
The second-slowest city on their list for charging times is Brighton, where it takes an average of six and a quarter hours to fill half a battery — a whole two hours less than in Leicester.
AvailableCar said: “The city’s slower charging infrastructure highlights the need for investment in faster chargers to support the growing demand for electric vehicles.
“Without quicker charging options, Leicester may face challenges in encouraging more drivers to switch to electric.”
Other cities that follow Leicester in terms of affordability include the previously mentioned Leeds, as well as Peterborough, with the latter boasting an average half-battery filling cost of £16.10. Both cities also benefit from relatively good charger availability, making them practical choices for EV owners.
In contrast, the East of England emerged as the most expensive region for EV charging in the UK — including Cambridge, Southend-on-Sea, Colchester and St Albans — where drivers face consistently higher prices, with eight of the ten priciest cities charging more than £25 to top up half a battery. Smaller cities such as Ripon, Salisbury and Ely lead in charger density per 10,000 people.
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