New research by PEUGEOT UK has revealed Manchester Christmas Market is the most accessible for electric vehicle (EV) drivers, as well as offering the best balance of charging options.
With Christmas market stalls being readied across the country, PEUGEOT UK researched which markets in England are most suitable for electric vehicle drivers. Manchester Christmas Market topped the rankings, followed by Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market and Leeds’ Winter Favourites.
Using Visit England’s research of 14 popular Christmas markets in England, PEUGEOT first compared how many of the markets could be driven to using the 225-mile (362km) range of the PEUGEOT e-208 from the 15 most populated cities in the UK.
The research also ranked how many public charging points were within a three-mile radius of the centre. Plus, the charging speeds available while accommodation options that offered free charging were also scored.
All top 10 Christmas Markets apart from Padstow’s Christmas Festival, located on Cornwall’s north coast, were accessible from at least nine of the UK’s most populated cities.
Manchester’s Christmas Market was found to be the most accessible, with 14 cities in the UK within the 225-mile (362km) range of the market. Manchester also had the highest number of charging stations within a three-mile radius of the city centre. It had 69 charging stations available, including 16 rapid chargers with speeds above 50kW.
Leeds was home to the second-highest number of charging stations, with 62 available, including 17 rapid chargers. Leeds could also be reached from 13 of the UK’s most populated cities using the 225-mile (362km) range of the PEUGEOT e-208.
PEUGEOT’s research also considered the number of accommodation options within three miles of the city centre that offer free charging for EV drivers. This included hotel chains and B&Bs, with York topping the tables, offering 19 different accommodation options with free chargers.
This is useful news for electric vehicle drivers in the UK with plans to visit a Christmas market during the festive period. It shows that infrastructure is improving and makes for an easy life on the road when it comes to charging at these locations. Plus, it makes far more sense to drive electric when it comes to a cleaner green Christmas.
Julie David, PEUGEOT UK managing director, said: “Christmas markets are a popular destination to visit during November and December and PEUGEOT’s latest research has revealed the markets and cities that best cater for electric drivers.
“With more than a million electric drivers on UK roads today, things like distance and charging infrastructure will play an important role in determining where drivers head to this Christmas.”
Top 10 Christmas Markets in England for Electric Car Drivers
1st: Manchester Christmas Market (M1 1AF)
2nd: Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market (B2 4BA)
3rd: Leeds’ Winter Favourites 2022 (LS2 3AD)
4th: York St Nicholas Fair (YO1 7DT)
5th: Lincoln Christmas Market (LN1 3AA)
6th: Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market (SO23 9LS)
6th: Bath Christmas Market (BA1 1LN)
7th: Norwich Christmas Market (NR2 1TF)
8th: Chester Christmas Market (CH1 2HJ)
9th: Rochester Christmas Market (ME4 4TR)
9th: Stratford-upon-Avon Victorian Christmas Market Festival (CV37 6AB)
10th: Padstow Christmas Festival (PL28 8AQ)
Back in October, research by PEUGEOT UK revealed how UK drivers can circumnavigate mainland Britain for free, without spending a penny on recharging. This is all thanks to a network of 4,400-plus free-to-use public chargers. The study revealed more than a tenth of the UK’s 35,000 public chargers can be used for free.
