EV Charging in London 2026
Where to charge, which networks to use, costs, and why EVs save money in London compared to petrol and diesel.
London is one of the best cities in the UK for electric vehicle ownership, thanks to a combination of regulatory incentives and financial exemptions that make EVs significantly cheaper to run than petrol or diesel equivalents.
A London driver commuting 5 days/week through the CCZ and ULEZ in a non-compliant diesel could save over £7,000 per year in charges alone by switching to a fully electric vehicle — before fuel cost savings. This makes even expensive EVs financially compelling for regular London commuters.
London has over 9,000 public charge points across the city — one of the densest public charging networks in Europe. Finding them is easy with the right tools:
The most comprehensive UK EV charging map. Shows all networks, charger speeds, live availability and user reviews. The de facto standard for UK EV drivers.
Open Zap-Map →International EV charging community map. Useful for finding charging at hotels, supermarkets and shopping centres that might not appear on other maps.
Open PlugShare →| Network | Charger Types | Cost (approx) | Subscription? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source London (TfL) | 7kW slow, 50kW rapid | 35–55p/kWh | Optional membership for lower rates |
| bp pulse | 7kW–150kW | 35–79p/kWh | Membership available |
| Pod Point (EDF) | 7kW–50kW | Free–50p/kWh | Some free chargers at Tesco / Lidl |
| Osprey | 50–150kW rapid | ~70p/kWh | No subscription needed |
| Gridserve | 60–350kW rapid | ~65p/kWh | Subscription available |
| Ubitricity (Shell) | 5.5–22kW lamp post | ~35p/kWh | RFID card required |
At typical public rapid charger rates (65p/kWh), and assuming a car with 4 miles/kWh efficiency, the "fuel cost" is around 16p per mile. Home charging (where available) at 24p/kWh gives around 6p per mile. Compare this to petrol at around 14–17p per mile for a typical car — public charging is comparable to petrol, but home charging is dramatically cheaper.
For London drivers without a driveway, the free or cheap chargers at supermarkets (Pod Point at Tesco, IKEA, Lidl) offer significant savings for those with flexibility in where they charge.
Source London is Transport for London's public EV charging network, operated in partnership with various charging providers across all 32 London boroughs. It includes thousands of on-street charge points installed in lamp posts, dedicated bays and car parks.
A Source London membership card (available via the Source London app or website) gives you access to all Source London chargers at a consistent rate, and makes charging simpler across the network.
Ubitricity (now a Shell company) operates the largest proportion of London's lamp post chargers — these use a smart RFID cable that you need to obtain in advance. If you plan to charge on London streets, getting a Ubitricity cable is worthwhile.
Charging network costs and availability change frequently. Always check the latest tariffs within the relevant charging app before travelling. For ULEZ and Congestion Charge exemption registration, visit tfl.gov.uk.