London to Edinburgh is around 400 miles — one of the UK's great drives. For EV owners, it requires a bit more planning than filling up at a motorway services, but the route is now genuinely well-served, and the stops themselves are often brilliant.
The Route: A1(M) vs M1/M6
There are two main routes north from London to Edinburgh:
A1(M) — the East route: London → Stevenage → Peterborough → Grantham → Newark → Doncaster → Wetherby → Scotch Corner → Newcastle → Edinburgh
M1/M6 — the West route: London → Milton Keynes → Leicester → Sheffield → Leeds → Harrogate → A1(M) north → Edinburgh
The A1(M) has better EV charging coverage for the full route. The M6 is better if you're starting from the west of England.
Key Charging Stops (A1 Route)
London to Grantham (~115 miles)
Recommended stop: Grantham Services (A1/M1) — multiple rapid chargers including Tesla Supercharger. Add 80-100 miles while you grab a coffee.
Grantham to Wetherby (~100 miles)
Recommended stop: Wetherby Services — excellent multi-network rapid charging hub. Gridserve and others. Worth a 30-minute stop.
Wetherby to Newcastle (~95 miles)
Recommended stop: Washington Services (A1(M)) — solid rapid charging. Alternatively, stop in Durham for a leg stretch and some incredible medieval views.
Newcastle to Edinburgh (~110 miles)
The final stretch. If you charged well in Newcastle or Washington, most modern EVs with 250+ mile range can complete this in one. Otherwise, Gateshead's Osprey hub is a reliable stop.
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Best Hotels En Route
Rather than motorway chain hotels, consider:
- Grantham: Some lovely country house hotels nearby with EV charging
- York (A64 detour): Worth 20 minutes off the A1 — stunning city, great hotels, solid EV charging
- Durham: A cathedral city that's genuinely special. Some excellent hotels with EV facilities
Stays on Sento are labelled charging on-site, charging nearby or standard — confirm charging with the property or a live charging map such as Zapmap before you travel. A Sento Charging Promise is coming soon.
Estimated Journey Time
- Driving: 7–8 hours
- With 2 charging stops (30 mins each): 8.5–9.5 hours total
- With an overnight stop: relax and enjoy it
Related Reading
Ready to plan your next EV trip?
Public networks + hotel overnights, mapped.