Best public EV charging – these are the operators with probably the most dependable units throughout Britain

EV drivers making longer journeys are dependent on rapid and ultra-rapid charging. 

And at the vital moment you need to charge your EV in less than 30 minutes you want to know that the charger of choice will be fully working, with assistance on call if you need it.

Helpfully Zapmap, the UK’s leading charge point mapping service, has announced the results of its annual rapid and ultra-rapid charging network rankings.

Over 3,700 EV drivers have voted on the best providers in the October survey so you can feel confident next time you need a high-powered charge.

For the first time – due to the growing range of networks in the UK – rapid and ultra-rapid public charging networks have been divided into two size-based categories.

Networks fall into the ‘Medium’ category if they have between 100 and 300 charge points across the country, or into the ‘Large’ group if they have above 300 devices UK-wide.

Here’s the full results… 

Best large networks (300 charge points and above)

First place in the ‘large rapid/ultra-rapid network’ category is Tesla.

The Elon Musk-owned brand’s Supercharger network scored a star rating of 4.7, scoring highest across a number of factors, including reliability, cost and ease of use across the board.

More than anything, drivers said they appreciated its value for money with Tesla’s network offering significantly lower prices than many rapid/ultra-rapid rivals.

This is the first year Tesla has been included in the rankings table. 

Previously its network was closed to non-Tesla EVs, meaning access to Superchargers was reserved only for Tesla drivers.

But this year Tesla opened its Supercharger network up to all EV drivers, and its monthly subscription service too. 

Now there are over 860 Tesla chargers in more than 80 charging hubs open to the wider EV community.

In second place in the large network is MFG EV Power with a Star Rating of 3.8.

MFG EV Power was praised for providing a consistent and reliable service, especially when it came to payment – the reliability and convenience of payment options is highly regarded.

Focused on rolling out high-speed charging hubs at a national level, MFG EV Power has more than 780 chargers across 195 locations.

In keeping with the Motor Fuel Group business model, all the distinctive blue and green branded chargers are installed on fuel forecourts.

Martin Symes, EV Director at MFG said: ‘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.’

In third place is Osprey Charging with a Star Rating of 3.6.

Osprey has been a consistent high performer in Zapmap ranking history, and a Zapmap recommended network for the past five years.

Osprey’s high third place was due in part to its latest hubs utilising distinctive Kempower devices and the network offering excellent accessibility – it scored very highly for ease of use.

This year Osprey has rolled out more rapid/ultra-rapid chargers than any other network, now boasting over 1,300 devices across 380 locations.

Alongside MGF EV Power, it is one of two networks to be focused on rolling out high-speed charging hubs at a national level, and a recipient of the ‘EV Driver Recommended’ title (awarded to networks with higher than 3.5 star overall ratings).

‘Ian Johnston, CEO at Osprey Charging said: ‘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.’

In fourth place is Be.EV with a Star Rating of 3.5.

New entrant Be.EV has garnered positive customer reviews by offering a great all-round charging experience but has been praised especially for highly for customer support and value for money.

Be.EV now has 579 devices across 179 locations with distinctive ‘big, green hubs’.

Asif Ghafoor, CEO at Be.EV said: ‘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.’

Best medium networks (between 100 and 300 rapid / ultra-rapid devices)

Fastned has been ranked the best ‘medium rapid/ultra-rapid’ network of the year, securing a score of 4.1.

After topping the leaderboard in last year’s ranking, the distinctive yellow canopies and fantastic hub locations are proving to be a continuous firm favourite with EV drivers.

The network scored very highly for reliability, ease of use and payment options offered. 

Fastned is an established European EV charging player, but its UK network is smaller than its continental setup, which brings it into the Medium category. 

Yet the network now has a healthy 26 locations across the UK and 150 devices on offer. 

Tom Hurst, UK Country Director at Fastned said: ‘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.’

Taking second in the medium category is Ionity with a star rating of 3.5.

Another European player, Ionity is quickly growing its network across the UK and Ireland. 

Across the 270 devices at 37 locations in the UK, drivers particularly appreciate how reliable the Ionity network is.  

Ionity achieved the ‘EV Driver Recommended’ title in this year’s rankings.

‘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

As the name suggests, the winner of this category is awarded to the network that doesn’t meet the minimum inclusion criteria but has still made a mark on the charging landscape and received positive feedback from EV drivers.

This year’s winner is Sainsbury’s Smart Charge.

Launched in January, the supermarket-owned charging network has already made an impressive start, rolling out 150kW hubs at 62 Sainsbury’s across the UK. 

The hubs are proving very popular with EV drivers and shoppers especially as the network is linked with Nectar rewards – collecting 1 Nectar point for every pound spent.