More than 20% of UK EV drivers will charge outside the UK between June and August – with 94% of them taking at least one long-distance trip this summer.
London, 02 July 2026 – An overwhelming majority of electric vehicle (EV) drivers in the UK will be using their car for a sustainable summer holiday, with more than a fifth of them leaving the country to do so, according to newly revealed data from ultra-fast charging network IONITY.
A new survey commissioned by IONITY found that 94% of drivers will use their EV for at least one long-distance trip this summer, consistent across all age groups, rising to an impressive 98% amongst those aged 35-44, often travelling with young children.
Many of these journeys go beyond UK borders during June, July and August. According to IONITY charging data, the closest countries in Europe – France, Germany and Belgium – top the list of favourite charging destinations.
Leaving range anxiety behind
These figures are also a byproduct of rising consumer confidence. 91% of respondents are “con-fident” or “very confident” about travelling longer distances in their EV.
Europe offers around 1.2 million public charging points, including more than 164,000 High Power Charging (HPC) points with charging capacities of up to 600 kW, and this means that range anxi-ety is continuing to fall. Barely two in five (39%) now cite range anxiety as a major factor – falling to less than a quarter (24%) of those aged over 55.
Interestingly, this confidence seems partially driven by the widespread use of charging and mo-bility service subscriptions. Three-quarters (75%) of drivers use one or more subscriptions with a charging or mobility service provider, primarily for convenience and ease of use.
Subscriptions also play an important role in supporting longer journeys: 37% have purchased a subscription specifically for occasional long-distance travel, while 24% have done so for regular long-distance travel throughout the year. In terms of keeping prices down, 54% would consider a short-term summer subscription if lower charging costs were guaranteed.
“We are seeing significantly increased interest in our charging subscriptions during the summer months. Compared to the spring months, the number of active IONITY subscriptions more than doubles by August,” says Jeroen van Tilburg, CEO of IONITY. “As more drivers take their EVs on longer journeys across Europe, they increasingly value simplicity and consistency when charging on the road. The growing popularity of subscriptions shows that drivers appreciate having a famil-iar charging experience across borders, together with the cost benefits that subscriptions can provide.”
Other factors motivating drivers to use their EV for holiday travel include environmental benefits (30%), improved driving comfort (26%) and lower travel costs (22%). This growing confidence is reflected in charging attitudes, with more than 60% of respondents reporting that EV charging is either less stressful than refuelling, or no more stressful than the traditional refuelling experience.
Going the extra mile
To further support summer travellers, IONITY will once again launch seasonal initiatives such as Charge Champions this year. Specially trained teams will assist travellers directly on-site at 22 high-traffic IONITY locations across Croatia, France, Germany and Italy. They help answer charg-ing-related questions, support efficient traffic coordination and enable seamless continental travel across Europe.
“To make charging during peak travel periods even more reliable and convenient, we rely on continuous network monitoring and data-driven maintenance to identify potential issues early and optimise charger availability across our network,” continues van Tilburg. “Combined with our 24/7 customer support and real-time charger information in the IONITY app, this helps drivers travel with greater confidence across Europe.”
The survey was commissioned by IONITY and conducted in collaboration with Appinio in May 2026. A total of 250 UK EV drivers were surveyed.
IONITY's charging data is based on charging sessions by UK customers across the European IONITY charging network during the summer of 2025.
About IONITY
IONITY builds and operates Europe’s leading ultra-rapid charging network for electric vehicles, open to all EV brands. The company delivers true high-power charging – up to 600 kW today and even faster tomorrow – cutting charging times down to the length of a coffee break. More than 6,000 charging points in 24 European countries enable reliable and easy charging along highways and increasingly in cities. The IONITY network runs exclusively on renewable energy, contributing to the transition toward climate-neutral mobility.
IONITY designs its products around the lifestyle of EV drivers – intuitive and practical, for bound-less mobility and a cleaner future.
Founded in 2017, IONITY is a joint venture of BMW Group, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen Group (including Audi and Porsche), and BlackRock’s Climate Infrastructure Platform.
Press contact
Leila Sarshar
press@ionity.eu