How To Find Free Parking For Electric Vehicles in London 2024

Whether you already drive an electric vehicle or are just considering buying one, there is one thing that is the same no matter what car you drive. Parking is still a headache.

In the guide, we explore how to find cheap (and some cases free!) parking for EVs.
 

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Parking EV London

Most of London is controlled by parking zones which limit who can where. Each London borough has its own rules when it comes to parking permits for EVs and other low emission vehicles like plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Before you pay and display, check out where you can park an EV for free.

London Boroughs with free EV parking 

The following London Borough give residents who drive a fully electric vehicles a free resident’s parking permit:

• Barking and Dagenham
• Hammersmith and Fulham
• Newham
• Westminster
• Hounslow
• Redbridge 
• Richmond 

If you are considering moving house, and either own or plan to buy an EV, it's worth factoring how much money you could save on parking in these boroughs.

London Boroughs with discounted EV parking 

The following London Borough provide discounted parking for drivers of electric vehicles:
 

Borough	EV permit (12m)	Top band standard permit (12m)
Tower Hamlets	£30	£405
Brent	£25	£267
Croydon	£6.5	£300
Southwark	£31.25	£125
Barnet	£16.50	£200.50
Camden	£43.54	£509.80
Ealing	£50	£130
Enfield	£77	£395
Greenwich	£26	£100-300
Haringey	£31	£376
Hackney	£10.50	£376
Harrow	£21.60	£104
Islington	£50	£700
Kensington and Chelsea	£22	£173
Lewisham	£70	£300
Lambeth	£39.90	£340.73
Waltham Forest	£40	£175
Wandsworth	£79	£197

London Boroughs with no EV parking discounts 

Electric vehicle parking in London isn't always cost effective. There are some boroughs which don't offer any savings for driving and electric vehicle.

At the time of writing, that includes Bexley, Bromley, Kingston and Merton.

Hillingdon go a step further and offer all residents a free permit for their first vehicle - regardless of what type of engine it has. 

Best Places to Park an EV in London when Visiting

If you’re just visiting for a day or twoLondon, unfortunately  the fact that you’re driving an EV makes little difference.

Some boroughs offer some incentives for EV drivers:

• Westminster: park for the maximum time allowed in on-street pay-to-park parking bays, but only pay for 10 minutes
• Islington: pay only 20p to park your EV
• Kensington and Chelsea: Discounted EV parking using RingGo
• City of London: Discounted EV parking using RingGo in the city centre
• Croydon: Discounted EV parking using RingGo
• Hammersmith: Discounted EV parking using RingGo
• Fulham: Discounted EV parking using RingGo
• Richmond: Discounted EV parking using RingGo
• Haringey: Electric vehicles (excluding hybrids and plug-in hybrids) can park free of charge in dedicated pay by phone bays. The maximum stay and no return periods will remain applicable.

Best Places to Park and Charge EV London

The following boroughs are good places to park and charge an EV:

• Hillingdon: free to charge but you might have to pay for the parking
• Newham: Park and charge for up to 4 hours for free
• Waltham Forest: No additional charges for parking in EV-charger bays

Other savings 

London Congestion Charge for EVs

In most London boroughs, you will be spared the Congestion Charge if you drive an EV. According to TfL, zero emission vehicles are eligible for a 100% discount, which is a saving of £15 a day.

London ULEZ FOR EVs

EV drivers are also excempt from ULEZ (ultra low emissions zone) charges, an additional saving of £12.50 a day.  

Vehicle Tax for EVs

Zero emission-capable vehicles (so 100% pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles) either pay no vehicle tax or a reduced rate. 
 

 

Related

Is There Road Tax On Electric Cars?

 

Read article

 

Grants for Buying an EV

The Government offers grants of up to £2,500 for new plug-in electric cars. 

You could get £1,500 for a motorcycle, £6,000 for a van, £7,500 for a taxi or £16,000 for a truck. 

It seems that these grants are having the designed effect: 17% of UK citizens intend to buy an EV in the next 12 months.

Help to install an EV charging point

If you want to install your own electric vehicle charge point you may be able to get a grant worth either £350 or 75% off the cost to buy and install a socket, whichever amount is lower.

For more information about the cost of installing an EV charger, read our guide here.

Where to Charge EV London

London City Council counted almost 5,000 EV charging points in the capital at the start of 2020 (although less than 10% of these provide rapid charge)

According to Zap Map, 353 of these are free to use. Use Zap Map to find them easily.


If you want to read more about the different parking laws in the UK, check out this guide.

 

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