The 2025 top-ranked EV charging sites

Driver Guides  Electric Vehicles 

There’s been a little bit of fuss in the news recently about EV targets and how manufacturers are asking for some form of customer incentive to help meet the 2030 sales cut-off. There are merits to both sides of the argument, but that’s not what we’re talking about today. Many comments online are still decrying the absence of charging points as a reason not to switch, and for a lot of people that really is a deciding factor. But as the annual Zapmap survey of EV charging stations shows, it isn’t necessarily the problem many seem to think it is.

Zapmap, the UK’s leading charge point mapping service, has recently revealed the results of its annual satisfaction rankings for rapid and ultra-rapid public charging networks in the UK. While it's primarily a survey of which providers are best, it does also reflect the reality of a rapidly expanding network of chargers and suppliers.

Now in its seventh year, the rankings are generated from EV driver responses to Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey, conducted during October 2024. This year’s survey saw responses from more than 3,700 battery electric vehicle (EV) drivers across the UK.

The results not only rank the charging point providers according to the usual measures of cost, reliability, convenience, and so on, they also suggest that a lack of charging infrastructure is becoming increasingly…mythical. You could do the sums if you wish but suffice to say there are literally thousands of charging points scattered across hundreds of locations all over the country.

2024 has actually seen another huge increase in the number of EV charging points around the country, many of which are of the ultra-rapid (150kW+) type that are so vital to reducing charging times when on the move. Not only is there a record number of network providers (17) in this year’s league table, but Zapmap has even had to split them into two categories to fit them all in.

For the first time, Zapmap has grouped the rapid and ultra-rapid public charging providers based on the size of their networks: a ‘Medium’ sized category for networks with between 100 and 300 charge points and ‘Large’ sized category for those offering more than 300 charge points. In both categories, the chargers have to be a minimum of 50kW and must be open to all types of EV.

Respondents were invited to rate their overall satisfaction for the networks they use regularly, those ratings then being used to rank each network out of a maximum of five stars. The satisfaction ratings are based on five key areas:

• reliability,
• ease of use,
• customer support,
• value for money,
• and payment options.

The award goes to the highest ranked network in each category.

Alongside the overall winners, networks that achieved at least a 3.5-star overall rating received an ‘EV Driver Recommended’ title. Zapmap also awards an ‘Up and Coming Network’ accreditation for smaller, emerging networks. And in case you were wondering, here are this year’s results in order of ranking.

Large rapid / ultra-rapid network category

Best EV charging network 2025 - Tesla

Excluded from previous results on the basis that you had to be driving a Tesla, the brand’s decision to open up its charging network to other EVs has catapulted it straight to the top of the pile. With over 860 Tesla chargers in more than 80 charging hubs, the network scored well on reliability, cost, and ease of use. Drivers also appreciated the value for money with significantly lower prices than many rapid / ultra-rapid networks are offering.

EV Driver Recommended

MFG EV Power - Second place went to MFG with its 780 chargers installed on 195 fuel forecourts, making a charging stop feel comfortably familiar. EV drivers praised MFG’s reliability and convenient payment options.

Osprey Charging - Osprey has featured on the list of recommended networks for the last five years so it clearly understands the needs of EV drivers. In 2024 Osprey rolled out more rapid and ultra-rapid chargers than any other network, now boasting over 1,200 devices across 380 locations, with ease of use being particularly highlighted in the satisfaction survey.

Be.EV - Be.EV is a new name on this year’s list with 579 devices across 179 locations. The brand is currently focused 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.

Medium rapid / ultra-rapid network

Best EV charging network 2025 - Fastned

Fastned must be doing something right because it also topped the leaderboard in last year’s rankings too. The brand’s bright yellow canopies are already well established across Europe but at present its UK network isn’t big enough to qualify for the large category. It currently has 26 locations across the country with over 150 devices available to EV drivers. Fastned scored very highly for reliability, ease of use and the payment options offered.

EV Driver Recommended - Ionity

Ionity is another pan-European player, with an ever-growing network across the UK and Ireland. Praised for its reliability, Ionity currently has 270 devices across 37 locations around the UK.

Zapmap’s up-and-coming network

2025 Winner - Sainsbury’s Smart Charge

This special category is for those networks that don’t quite meet the minimum inclusion criteria for a place in the rankings but, based on positive feedback from EV drivers, are clearly headed in the right direction.

Sainsbury’s only launched Smart Charge in January of this year but it has already made an impressive start to the roll out of its 150kW hubs at Sainsbury’s sites across the UK. And given the fact everyone ends up at a supermarket on a reasonably regular basis it’s highly likely the idea will spread to the other big retailers quite quickly. Sainsbury’s Smart Charge currently has more than 500 chargers installed at 62 of its stores with more to follow. As well as proving popular with EV drivers in terms of convenience, the network also offers linked charging with Nectar rewards when you top up your battery.

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