Tesla and Fastned top Zapmap charging network survey

Thousands of EV drivers rate the UK’s rapid amd ultra-rapid public charging networks

Zapmap, a chargepoint mapping service, has announced its annual satisfaction rankings for rapid and ultra-rapid public charging networks in the UK. Tesla scored highest in the large-sized network category, whilst Fastned was highest ranked in the medium-sized network category.

Now in its seventh year, the league table is generated from EV driver responses to Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey, conducted during October 2024. The survey saw responses from more than 3,700 battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers.

This year, given the growing range of networks in the UK, Zapmap has grouped rapid and ultra-rapid public charging networks into two categories, based on the size of the network. Networks have been grouped into either the ‘Medium’ sized network category (networks with between 100 and 300 chargepoints), or the ‘Large’ sized network category (networks with over 300 charge points).

Zapmap awards a ‘Best EV Charging Network’ accreditation to the top scorer in their category, with other top performers, who achieve at least a 3.5 star overall rating receiving an ‘EV Driver Recommended’ title. Zapmap also awards an ‘Up and Coming Network’ accreditation for smaller, emerging networks.

As part of the survey, respondents rated their overall satisfaction for the networks they use regularly, which is then used to rank each network out of a maximum of five stars. They also rated their level of satisfaction with the networks in five key areas: reliability, ease of use, customer support, value for money, and payment options.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and COO at Zapmap, said: “This year has seen another huge increase in charging provision across the country, particularly for the ultra-rapid (150kW+) chargers, and charging hubs; and it is fantastic to be able to highlight and celebrate the UK’s best EV charging networks, as chosen by EV drivers.

“A record 17 networks are on the rankings table, and it is clear that reliability in the broadest sense remains key with EV drivers showing appreciation for networks rolling out consistent, reliable charging hubs which provide convenience and charging confidence. Whilst excellent payment options, customer support and ease of use are all highly valued, this year value for money, is an increasingly important consideration.

“Many congratulations to all the networks, particularly Tesla and Fastned topping the rankings in their respective categories, and we look forward to the continued growth of a reliable, cost effective charging network to support the ever-growing number of EV drivers.”

Large rapid/ultra-rapid networks

In first place in the ‘Large rapid/ultra-rapid network’ category this year is Tesla. Previously excluded from the charging networks rankings table as it was a closed network exclusively for Tesla drivers, the well-established national network has been included this year as the operator has opened up many of its charge points for use by drivers of other, non-Tesla EVs.

With over 860 Tesla chargers in more than 80 charging hubs now opened up to the wider EV driving community, the network scored well on reliability, cost, and ease of use. Drivers most appreciated the Tesla network’s value for money, which offers significantly lower prices than many rapid / ultra-rapid networks.

Also in the large category, second and third place respectively this year are MFG EV Power and Osprey Charging, two networks that are also focusing on rolling out high-speed charging hubs at a national level. The two networks earn the ‘EV Driver Recommended’ title for the 2024-25 rankings (awarded to networks with higher than 3.5 star overall ratings), alongside Be.EV who ranked fourth.

MFG EV Power has more than 780 chargers across 195 locations, all installed on fuel forecourts, with its distinctive blue and green branding, providing a consistent and reliable service for drivers. EV drivers praised MFG’s 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 remains a popular choice amongst EV drivers, having been a consistent high performer and a Zapmap recommended network for the past five years. Its latest hubs utilise distinctive Kempower devices and offer excellent accessibility, which is reflected in a high satisfaction score for the ease of use of its chargers. In 2024 Osprey rolled out more rapid/ultra-rapid chargers than any other network, now boasting over 1,200 devices over 380 locations.

Ian Johnston, CEO at Osprey Charging, said: “We are very proud that Osprey have again been ranked in the top three Large Rapid & Ultra Rapid Charging Networks by UK drivers. Osprey has installed more new rapid chargepoints 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.”

Be.EV is a new entrant to the rankings this year with 579 devices across 179 locations, with a focus on rolling out its  ‘big green hubs’, which offer a great all-round charging experience, across the UK. EV drivers rated them particularly highly for customer support and value for money.

Asif Ghafoor, CEO at Be.EV, said: “This recognition is especially rewarding because it’s voted for by the very drivers that plug into our network. At the start of 2024, we took in their feedback and promised a better, simpler charging experience. This meant a new app, a price drop, more roaming partnerships, and, above all, great Charging Hubs where people need them most. Are we done yet? Not even close. But being named the fourth-best ‘large rapid & ultra-rapid network’ by the Zapmap community (less than two years since our very first ultra-rapid charger even sparked to life) reminds us that connecting with our drivers, prioritising our electric community and creating great charging experiences is what really matters most.”

Medium rapid/ultra-rapid networks

The top-ranked network in the ‘Medium rapid/ultra-rapid network’ category this year is Fastned, which topped the leaderboard in last year’s rankings too, with its well selected hub locations under distinctive yellow canopies.

Fastned is an established European player with a large continental footprint, but is a significantly smaller network in the UK than those in the large category – the network has now grown to 26 locations across the UK with over 150 devices. The network scored very highly for reliability, ease of use and the payment options offered.

Tom Hurst, UK country director at Fastned, said: “EV drivers are at the cutting edge of the e-mobility transition. They know what makes an excellent charging network, so sharing their opinion via Zapmap's survey really matters. I'd like to thank everyone for voting us as one of the best ultra-rapid charging networks in the UK for the third year in a row. This lets us know we're on the right track, and I can promise we'll continue to listen to drivers to make sure our network meets their needs today, tomorrow, and into the future.”

In second place in the medium category is Ionity, another pan-European player, with growing coverage across the UK and Ireland. Drivers particularly appreciated the network’s reliability. Ionity currently has 270 devices across 37 locations around the UK, and achieve 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.”

Up-and-coming network

Zapmap has also awarded an ‘Up-and-coming network’ winner, with this category covering those networks that do not meet the minimum inclusion criteria, but have made a mark on the charging landscape and have had positive feedback from EV drivers.

The ‘Up-and-coming network’ this year is Sainsbury’s Smart Charge. Smart Charge was only launched in January 2024 but has made an impressive start to the roll out of its 150kW hubs at Sainsbury’s sites across the UK . It has installed hubs at 62 stores to date, which are proving popular with EV drivers, especially as the network has linked charging with Nectar rewards, and we’re sure we’ll be seeing them in the main table next year.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s director of group property, procurement and 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.”

Methodology and inclusion criteria

Zapmap’s latest annual network rankings are produced from the feedback of 3,746 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) drivers in the Zapmap annual survey, which were gathered during October 2024.

This year there are two categories for ‘Best EV charging network’:

• Large rapid/ultra-rapid - for networks with more than 300 charge devices with power rating over 50kW
• Medium rapid/ultra-rapid - for networks with between 100 and 300 charge devices with power rating over 50kW

In addition, the chargepoints must be open to all types of EV and they must receive a minimum of 100 responses in the survey.

This year Tesla was included in the rankings as over half their devices are now open to the public, and only the responses from non-Tesla drivers were included in the rankings for the Tesla network.

Jade Edwards, head of insights at Zapmap, said: “Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey, now in its seventh year, is the most comprehensive analysis of UK EV driver behaviour and sentiment. This year’s network rankings provide crucial insights into how the rapid and ultra-rapid charging landscape is evolving, highlighting which networks are leading the way and where improvements are still needed. Huge congratulations to our winners Tesla and Fastned, who have been rated by EV drivers as the best networks.

“The findings from our survey go beyond the network rankings, covering important topics like EV ownership, home charging, charging on the public network and shows the trends over time.

“This year's survey results will shortly be released in report format, including more insight then ever before into how EV drivers are using the variety of different charging options that the UK's public network provides.”