EV Charging in Sunderland: Where to Charge an Electric Car

Charging an electric car in Sunderland is getting easier. The city sits on the A19 and close to the A1(M), and several of the region's larger rapid-charging hubs are on the main roads into it. Sunderland City Council has also been adding chargers in its car parks and on residential streets. This guide covers the main public sites by area and explains the council's on-street programme. Charger numbers, speeds and prices change often, and units can be out of service, so check a live map such as the Zapmap app, or the operator's own app, before you set off.

Ultra-rapid hubs on Wessington Way

The busiest corridor for charging is Wessington Way (the A1231), which links the A19 with the A1(M) through Castletown and North Hylton.

IONITY opened a hub at Wessington Retail Park, North Hylton (SR5 3NU), in October 2024, with twelve bays rated at up to 350kW. It sits beside McDonald's and KFC, so there is food and a toilet stop while you charge. IONITY shares its live charger status with Zapmap.

A short distance away, InstaVolt runs a site at Hylton Grange on Wessington Way (SR5 3HR). It has four charge points, each with a CCS connector at up to 160kW and a CHAdeMO connector at up to 60kW, which is useful for older Nissan Leafs and other CHAdeMO cars.

Best for: Best for: a quick top-up on the A19 or A1(M) without going into the city centre.

North Moor Road, south-west Sunderland

On the other side of the city, close to the A19 junction at Doxford, North Moor Road has two operators. InstaVolt has two chargers at the McDonald's on North Moor Road (SR3 1TJ), each with CCS at up to 62.5kW and CHAdeMO at up to 50kW. Fastned opened a larger hub on North Moor Road by the end of 2025, starting with six bays and designed so more can be added later.

Best for: Best for: drivers heading south on the A19 or living in the Doxford, Farringdon and Silksworth areas.

City centre

Fastned's West Wear Street station (SR1 1TW), near the north end of the Wearmouth Bridge and the A1018, was the company's first in the UK when it opened in April 2019. It was built under a solar canopy with a mix of 50kW and 175kW chargers. We have not been able to confirm its current line-up, so check the Fastned app or Zapmap for its live status before relying on it.

The council's multi-storey and surface car parks also have chargers. St Mary's car park, close to the Sunderland Empire and Keel Square, has charge points supplied and maintained by SWARCO on the council's behalf. Parking charges apply in the usual way while you charge, and our guide on where to park in Sunderland covers the city-centre car parks.

Best for: Best for: charging while you shop, work or see a show in the city centre.

Stadium of Light

RAW Charging has announced an ultra-rapid hub at the Stadium of Light, with twenty bays planned: sixteen at 150kW and four at 300kW, with contactless payment. At the time of writing it had been announced but not confirmed as open, so check Zapmap before planning a match-day charge there. For the stadium itself, see our Stadium of Light match day guide.

Charging at hotels and attractions

Some hotels and venues offer chargers for guests. The George Washington hotel in Washington lists electric vehicle charging among its facilities. If you are staying overnight, ask the hotel when you book whether chargers can be reserved and whether there is a fee. Our guide to the best hotels in Sunderland covers the main places to stay.

On-street charging for residents

Many homes in Sunderland are terraces without a drive, which makes home charging harder. The council has two programmes aimed at this:

• On-street charging hubs. In March 2026 the council said a further fifteen neighbourhood hubs, each with up to six charge points, were being readied in residential areas across the city. These are public chargers on the street or in small car parks, intended for people who cannot charge at home.
• Cross-pavement channels. The council has been trialling Kerbo Charge channels, which let residents run a charging cable from their house to a car parked outside without leaving a trip hazard across the pavement. More than 35 had been installed by 2026. Residents need the council's permission before a channel is fitted, so check the council's EV pages before you buy a home charger.

Never run a cable across a pavement without an approved channel, as this can create a trip hazard and may breach highway rules. For other council contacts, see our guide to council services in Sunderland.

Planning a longer trip

Most of the hubs above sit on the A19 and A1(M) corridors, so they are useful for journeys north to Tyneside and Northumberland or south to Teesside and Durham. A few practical points:

• Download the apps for the operators you are likely to use. Many rapid chargers accept contactless card payment, but apps show live availability and sometimes cheaper member rates.
• Check the connector type. Almost all newer cars use CCS, while some older models use CHAdeMO, which is now less common at new sites.
• Allow time on busy days. Retail park sites next to food outlets can get busy at weekends and in school holidays.
• Look at prices before you plug in. Ultra-rapid charging costs more per kWh than slower chargers or home charging, and prices differ between operators.

If you are new to the area, our moving to Sunderland guide covers council tax, bins and other first steps. Our getting around Sunderland without a car guide explains the Metro and bus network, for days when you would rather leave the car at home.

Know a charging site we have missed? Get in touch.