Motorists are being warned of potential instances of "charge rage" this weekend as millions of motorists set off around the country to make use of the August Bank Holiday weekend.
New research has found that the use of electric vehicle chargers over the coming days is set to soar as drivers hit the road for the long weekend.
Electric vehicle charging sessions are set to increase by more than five per cent across the UK between Friday, August 22, and Monday, August 25.
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Chargepoint operator BP Pulse estimates that it will deliver enough energy equivalent to power more than 2.75 million electric vehicle miles.
Experts are warning that drivers could experience delays when charging this weekend
|GETTY
Based on analysis from last year's August Bank Holiday charging activity, drivers will see the most activity at public chargers between 6pm and 8pm.
The busiest days are expected to be Friday and Saturday as drivers prepare to travel to see friends or family over the last long weekend of the year.
Motorists are also being advised to prepare for high-traffic periods in the late morning, particularly between 10am and 11am, and from 8am to 9am.
Valerio Ferro, general manager at BP Pulse UK, said: "The August bank holiday is always a busy time on the roads, and with EVs increasingly popular, we’re expecting to see higher demand for EV charging than ever before.
"However, the good news is that fast charging infrastructure has continued to grow significantly over the past 12 months, and bp pulse’s network is available across the UK for EV drivers to stop off and top up their battery when they need it."
With the busy charging periods expected over the Bank Holiday weekend, motorists are being urged to prepare, or they could witness "charge rage".
This is the term given to motorists who get angry when looking to charge their vehicles during high-traffic times, which can occasionally lead to confrontations between drivers.
BP Pulse is calling on drivers to ensure they do not get held back when looking to charge their vehicles, including planning their route in advance.
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Experts highlighted how electric vehicle owners should keep their battery level between 20 and 80 per cent to optimise the charging speed and reduce waiting times.
Similarly, utilising rapid and ultra-rapid devices can see up to 80 per cent of charge added to a vehicle in around 20 minutes, reducing the amount of time they're off the road.
BP Pulse is the fifth-largest public charging network operator with almost 3,600 devices, falling only behind Shell Recharge, Connected Kerb, Pod and Char.gy.
It is also the third-largest operator of rapid and ultra-rapid chargers across the nation as it manages 1,380 devices. BP Pulse is positioned behind InstaVolt (2,054) and Tesla Supercharger (2,026).
Around 18 million car trips are expected to be taken over the Bank Holiday weekend
| PAResearch from the RAC and traffic experts Inrix shows that almost 18 million getaway trips are set to take place over the Bank Holiday weekend.
It is expected to be the second busiest August Bank Holiday since the pandemic in 2020, with experts calling on drivers to prepare for the potential of lengthy delays.
Nick Mullender, repairs team leader at the RAC, cautioned drivers that they could face long delays on the roads this weekend with breakdowns more likely to occur with more vehicles on the road.
He added: "We're expecting major roads to airports and coastal destinations to be extremely busy, especially the South East and South West regions which could end up bearing the brunt of most holiday hold-ups."