Zapmap has released the latest results from its annual EV charging survey, compiling it into a seven-year running league table. If you want to know which network the British public think is the best and which network you should trust to charge your car, the league table gives you a good insight. Zapmap awards accreditations to different kinds of networks, such as “Best EV Charging Network” for its top scorer or “Up and Coming Network” for smaller and emerging networks.
The results of the survey were decided based on respondents’ ratings on overall satisfaction with the network, out of 5 stars, as well as for the following categories: reliability, ease of use, customer support, value for money, and payment options.
Out of the 17 networks in the survey, Tesla comes out as top dog for the “Large”-sized network category, whereas for the “Medium”-sized network category Fastned ranked highest. Zapmap classifies networks with 100-300 charge points as medium, and 300+ as large. Normally Telsa would have been excluded, due to the exclusivity of only Tesla drivers being able to charge with it, however it was included this year because some locations have been opened up to other brands. Tesla did not provide a comment to Zapmap for achieving this.
Coming in second and third place for the large networks were MFG EV Power and Osprey Charging. MFG EV, which you can recognise by its distinctive blue and green branding, has more than 780 chargers across 195 locations and is rated well for its reliability and convenient payment options. Martin Symes, EV Director at MFG said: “We are thrilled to be recognised by Zapmap as a Recommended Large Rapid and Ultra Rapid Charging Network for 2025. This achievement reflects our commitment to providing accessible and reliable EV charging solutions for drivers. We’re proud to have come second in the rankings, and we will continue to enhance our network to support the growing electric vehicle community.”
Osprey has 1,200 devices over 380 locations, and is a popular choice backed up by being a recommended network by Zapmap for five years. The company uses Kempower devices, which are accessible and reflected in high scores for ease of use. Osprey also rolled out the most rapid/ultra-rapid chargers out of any network in 2024. Ian Johnston, CEO at Osprey Charging said: “We are very proud that Osprey has again been ranked in the top three Large Rapid & Ultra Rapid Charging Networks by UK drivers. Osprey has installed more new rapid charge points than any other network in both 2023 and 2024, whilst continuing to prioritise reliability and ease of use. This recognition as a Zapmap Recommended Network five years in a row is testament to the quality that customers experience across our ever-expanding network.”
Coming up second to Fastned in the medium category is Ionity, which particularly scored well in reliability. Ionity currently has 270 devices across 37 locations around the UK and achieved the ”EV Driver Recommended” title in this year’s rankings. Andreas Atkins, Country Manager UK & Ireland at Ionity said: “The future for electric vehicles in the UK is bright. IONITY is proud to be recognised so highly by EV drivers in the well-respected Zapmap annual network rankings, for its reliable, user-friendly, cost-effective, ultra-rapid charging network in the UK. Our mission is to sustain this progress and quadruple the number of IONITY stations and charging points by the end of 2025, with 100% renewable energy. From Aberdeen to Bodmin, we’ll support limitless EV journeys, collaborating with partners like food and beverage outlets, retail parks, and hospitality venues to benefit both customers and local businesses along the way.”
The “Up-and-coming network” this year is Sainsbury’s Smart Charge, only making its debut in January 2024. The provider has made an impressive start to the roll out of its 150kW hubs at Sainsbury’s sites across the UK and has installed them at 62 stores to date, clearly proving popular with EV drivers, especially since the network has linked charging with Nectar rewards. Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Director of Group Property, Procurement & Smart Charge said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Zapmap for choosing to recognise Smart Charge as its Up and Coming Network for 2025, less than a year after we launched our new brand for customers. Since its inception, our ambition for Smart Charge has been to build an EV charging network that is simple, accessible, reliable and rewarding, conveniently allowing drivers to charge on-the-go in as little as 30 minutes. We’re on a mission to improve public charging in the UK, giving more drivers the confidence to adopt electric vehicles, and over the past 12 months our dedicated Smart Charge team has worked tirelessly to grow our network to over 500 ultra-rapid charging bays at more than 60 Sainsbury’s locations.”
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