A new national index of UK airports for EV drivers has revealed a significant infrastructure gap, with several major airports lacking official onsite charging and usable guidance for drivers.

The Airport EV Readiness Index, produced by Drax Electric Vehicles, is the first ranking of its kind. It scores airports across four categories: onsite charging provision, website guidance quality, nearby public charging within a 10-mile radius, and availability of an official meet and greet service with EV charging.

The findings highlight a major infrastructure gap as EV adoption accelerates. Ten of the UK’s 25 biggest airports scored 5/20 or lower, while only 15 currently offer official onsite charging.

Edinburgh Airport topped the index with a score of 16 out of 20, backed by 35 onsite charging bays – the largest provision of any UK airport – and maximum marks for website guidance. London City and Aberdeen also scored 16, with Edinburgh taking first place on bay count.

In contrast, London Heathrow, which handles over 80 million passengers annually, ranked 14th with a score of nine. It has no official onsite charging, though its website scores maximum marks for directing drivers to nearby public charge points.

Manchester, the UK’s third busiest airport, ranked joint 17th with a score of five – due to no onsite charging and limited online guidance.

The research comes as EVs accounted for 23.4% of all new UK car registrations in 2025, raising questions around how airports are supporting growing numbers of EV-driving passengers and fleets.

Range anxiety remains a barrier to EV adoption for some drivers. Airports represent a specific ‘pinch point’: vehicles are left for days at a time, drivers return from long-haul flights, and the journey home may be significant. The index was designed partly to address this, giving drivers clear information about what to expect.

The study also uncovers what Drax terms the ‘guidance gap’. The charging solutions firm said its research showed the value of clear communication even where charging infrastructure is limited. Heathrow, despite having no onsite provision, scored maximum marks for website guidance with a dedicated EV page that clearly directs drivers to nearby public charge points.

Several airports with onsite charging scored lower on guidance, suggesting that investment in infrastructure is not always matched by investment in communication.

Naomi Nye, head of sales at Drax Electric Vehicles, said: “The index tells two stories. The first is about infrastructure, and there the picture is improving but still patchy. Fifteen of 25 airports now offer official onsite charging, which is progress. But the 10 that don’t include some of the busiest airports in the country.

“The second story is about communication. Clear guidance for EV drivers costs relatively little but makes a significant difference to their experience. Some airports are doing this well. Others have the charging bays but haven’t told anyone about them. Both matter, and this index measures both.”

Nye added that with nearly a quarter of all new cars sold in the UK last year being electric, airports that get EV infrastructure right are increasingly well placed to attract and retain a passenger base that is only going to grow.

“Those that don’t will find themselves playing catch-up,” she warned.

UK Airport EV Readiness Index – Full Rankings 

Methodology 

The Airport EV Readiness Index was produced by Drax Electric Vehicles and ranks 25 UK airports on a 20-point scale across four categories:

1. Onsite charging provision (max 9 points):
   5 points awarded for offering official onsite charging, plus up to 4 additional points based on number of bays:
   1-3 bays (1 point); 4-9 bays (2 points); 10-19 bays (3 points); 20+ bays (4 points)
2. Website guidance quality (max 4 points):
   Scored against five criteria: dedicated EV page, explanation of location, access process, pricing, and inclusion of a map
   4 points awarded for meeting 3 or more criteria; 2 points for fewer than 3; 0 points for no usable guidance
3. Nearby public charging within 10 miles (max 5 points):
   Scored using banded tiers based on Open Charge data to ensure fair comparison between locations
4. Official meet and greet with EV charging (max 2 points)

Where airports received equal scores, rankings were determined by total number of onsite charging bays.

Only official, airport-operated services were included. Third-party meet and greet providers were excluded.