Welcome to the official Zapmap annual EV charging network rankings for 2025. Based on our eighth comprehensive EV driver satisfaction survey of thousands of UK EV drivers, this keenly-watched league table reveals the top-rated rapid and ultra-rapid public charging operators for the coming year. For the second year running, Tesla was crowned Best EV Charging Network in the 'Large' category. In a major move, Sainsbury's Smart Charge leads the 'Medium' category rankings. Drivers rated networks on critical factors including reliability, ease of use, and increasingly, payment options, providing the definitive guide to driver satisfaction across the UK's growing charging landscape.
How Zapmap's EV charging network rankings work
The Zapmap league tables are based on thousands of responses to Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey, the most established and comprehensive of its kind in the UK. This year’s survey, conducted during September and October 2025, saw responses from more than 3,976 battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers.
Drivers rated networks on critical factors including reliability, ease of use, and payment options.
There are now nearly 400,000 additional electric vehicles on the roads compared to Dec 2024, and a lack of familiarity with public charging is a recognised source of nervousness for both new EV drivers and those considering making the switch. The Zapmap network rankings provide a sound reference point for the most trusted networks, helping new and established EV drivers charge with confidence. For charge point operators, the rankings are a key measure of progress and provide insight into what matters most to EV drivers right now.
The tables group rapid and ultra-rapid public charging networks into two categories, based on the size of the network. This year, the ‘Large’ sized network category covers networks with over 500 devices while the ‘Medium’ sized network category covers networks with between 150 and 500 devices.
Zapmap awards a ‘Best EV charging network’ accreditation to the top scorer in each 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 to smaller, emerging networks that have made a mark on the charging landscape and have had positive feedback from EV drivers but that do not yet meet the minimum inclusion criteria for the main league tables.
As part of the survey, respondents were asked about the networks they use regularly, their overall experience of using these networks and their level of satisfaction across five key areas: reliability, ease of use, customer support, value for money, and payment options.
Best Large EV charging network: Tesla leads the 500+ device category
Zapmap EV network rankings 2025, rapid / ultra-rapid (large)
‘Best EV charging network 2025’ in the ‘Large rapid / ultra-rapid’ network category this year and for the second year running goes to the Tesla Public Supercharger network. Included in the rankings for the first time in 2024, following its decision to open up many of its charge points for use by drivers of non-Tesla EVs, the well-established national network now has 1,115 devices at 97 locations available to the wider EV driving community. This means that approx 54% of its total Supercharger network are open to the public, around 40% more than were publicly available in September 2024. The cost of public charging remains a key concern for EV drivers, and Tesla continues to offer significantly lower prices than most rapid / ultra-rapid networks, with drivers also appreciating its reliability. We expect more of the Tesla Supercharger network to become open to the public over the coming months, with Tesla also expanding its UK reach in 2026 through technology partnerships such as the one already underway with EV on the Move, which is beginning to integrate Tesla V4 Supercharging cabinets into its own network.
Ollie Dodd, Senior Regional Manager, Northern Europe Charging, Tesla said:
"We’re thrilled to win Zapmap’s Best EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Being recognised by the drivers themselves shows that our customer-centric and data-driven approach to building sites is well received. We look forward to showcasing more customer-centric features in 2026 as we expand the network further and look towards new initiatives in roaming and payment methods.”
Tesla: winner of Best Large EV Network 2025
Also in the large category, MFG EV Power is ranked second, with Ionity and Osprey sharing third place. These three networks secure the ‘EV driver recommended’ title for the 2025-26 rankings, alongside Instavolt and GRIDSERVE, with all five scoring an overall rating of 3.5 stars or more.
This year MFG EV Power has expanded from its base of fuel forecourt sites to include 300 Morrisons supermarkets in its network. It now has more than 1,300 chargers across 522 locations, a YoY increase of 68%. Its distinctive blue and green branding provides a highly visible charging solution for drivers, while manned locations help ensure swift problem resolution. Survey respondents particularly appreciated MFG EV Power’s reliability, ease of use and wide range of ways to pay.
Martin Symes, EV Director at MFG said:
“We are delighted to once again be recognised in Zapmap’s annual EV driver survey as the highest-ranked, fully accessible, Large Rapid and Ultra Rapid Charging Network. Our commitment remains firmly focused on providing convenient, reliable, and high-quality EV charging experiences for drivers across our nationwide network. We will continue to invest in our infrastructure to ensure we meet the needs of both current and future EV drivers, now and in the years to come.”
MFG EV Power: EV driver recommended network (large) 2025
Ionity has grown by an impressive 110% over the course of the past 12 months, enabling the network to move from second place in last year’s ‘Medium rapid / ultra-rapid’ league table to third in this year’s large category. It now boasts 536 devices across 58 locations including sites at Extra MSA motorway service locations and a partnership with Village Hotels. Ionity is also appreciated by drivers across categories of reliability, ease of use and wide range of ways to pay.
Andreas Atkins, Country Manager UK & Ireland, Ionity said:
“As a high-powered charging specialist, we have to prioritise at Ionity. That we’ve doubled our number of charging points for the second year in a row is a real testament to the strength of the EV community here. We’ve partnered with nationwide organisations like Village Hotels to enable travellers across the country, and we’ve set new standards in underrepresented areas, from our site in Bodmin, Cornwall, to Wrexham in Wales, to Aberdeen in Scotland.
“Such expansion isn’t possible without the support of genuine advocates for the EV community like Zapmap. Together, we’re making EV charging more accessible, affordable, and empowering.”
Osprey remains a popular choice amongst EV drivers, featuring as a Zapmap recommended network for the past six years. Of the large networks, Osprey received the joint highest rating for customer service alongside Tesla and scored well for ease of use and reliability. Osprey’s focus is on rolling out thoughtfully placed, reliable and simple to use sites, with new additions to its network this year including hubs in Merseyside, Watford, South Wales, Glasgow and Bognor Regis.
Ian Johnston, CEO, Osprey Charging said:
“I’m very proud of Osprey earning this high level of driver recognition from Zapmap for the sixth year running. These are the opinions that really matter to us, showing that drivers value our focus on customer experience, service and reliability. We are seeing the positive results of our shift towards deploying large hubs at premium retail and strategic road locations that drivers prefer; a shift that sees us in a group of mature and established nationwide networks at the top of the rankings, with Tesla, MFG and Sainsbury's. This result tops off a phenomenal year in which we will have 1,500 rapid charge points live by year-end, and have completed a £110m facility to fund the future growth of the network.”
Best Medium EV charging network: Smart Charge tops the 150-500 device category
Zapmap EV network rankings 2025, rapid / ultra-rapid (large)
‘Best EV charging network 2025 in the ‘Medium rapid / ultra-rapid network’ category this year is Smart Charge, the charging network of the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain. Launched in January 2024, Smart Charge was selected as Zapmap’s ‘Up-and-coming network’ in last year’s rankings, with expectations that we would see it in the main tables this year. Having grown by more than 40% over the past year, its network now includes 335 rapid / ultra-rapid devices across 84 of its locations. Smart Charge combines competitive pricing with partner offers that leverage the Nectar card rewards scheme. Our survey respondents scored it particularly highly for reliability and ease of use.
Patrick Dunne, Chief Property & Procurement Officer at Sainsbury's, MD Smart Charge said:
“We’re incredibly proud to be recognised by Zapmap as the UK’s Best EV Charging Network, especially as this comes directly from EV drivers who use our sites every day, nationwide. At Smart Charge, we’ve always believed that ultra-rapid charging should be simple, reliable, accessible and rewarding, and this award is a testament to the hard work of our team and the trust our customers place in us.”
Smart Charge: winner of Best Medium EV Network 2025
Previously ranking fourth in the large category, this year Be.EV ranks second in the medium category, close behind Smart Charge. With 406 rapid / ultra-rapid devices across 84 of its 175 locations, Be.EV’s ‘big green hubs’ increasingly reflect a focus on the whole charging experience: accessible bays, clear signage, locations that fit into drivers’ everyday lives and multiple ways to pay. While other networks may have expanded faster this year, Be.EV received the highest rating of all networks in our league tables for customer support and also performed well for cost of charging.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO at Be.EV said:
“Getting recognised by the drivers who actually use our network, that’s the bit that really matters here. We're always listening to feedback from our customers and have made it our mission to make charging EVs simpler, fairer and more affordable.
Our recently launched 39p/kWh tariff is a big part of that, but so is our focus on building great Charging Hubs where people actually need them. Being named second and a Zapmap Driver Recommended Network after last year’s fourth place shows we’re making real progress, and we’ll keep building from here.”
Be.EV: EV driver recommended network (Medium) 2025
Third in the medium category is Fastned, an established European player whose network of distinctive yellow solar canopies is growing slowly but steadily in the UK. Over the past year, the network has expanded by 38% to cover 199 devices across 34 locations. Fastned has done much to improve the public charging infrastructure in Northern Ireland this year, and has recently received planning permission for the UK’s first drive through hub, to be located in Aberdeen. This year Fastned increased its overall star rating and received the highest rating of all networks in our league tables for its range of ways to pay as well as particularly positive feedback for ease of use.
Together with EV on the Move, which scored an overall star rating of 3.6, Be.EV and Fastned are Zapmap’s ‘EV driver recommended’ networks in the ‘Medium rapid / ultra-rapid network’ category.
Tom Hurst, UK Country Director, Fastned said:
“I’m delighted that we’ve increased our customer rating score from 4.1 to 4.2, making us a Recommended Network by Zapmap drivers. Every year, we wear our Zapmap award as a badge of honour as it shows us that we’re doing right by our customers. Here’s to the next year of delivering a highly rated, reliable and easy to use ultra-rapid charging network in the UK. There’s so much more to come, so watch this space.”
Arnold Clark Charge named Zapmap's 'Up-and-coming network' of the year
This year Zapmap has awarded the accolade of ‘Up-and-coming network’ to Arnold Clark Charge. With sites opening to the public only in the second half of 2025, the car dealership’s network already extends across 57 locations, with ambitious plans for the year ahead. The network has been quick to introduce an optional booking system for its chargers as well as offering assisted charging. With pricing on a par with Tesla, Arnold Clark Charge secured impressive ratings across all five metrics and the highest rating of all networks for customer support. We look forward to seeing its development over the next twelve months.
Russell Borrie, Chief Executive Officer at Arnold Clark said:
“We are delighted that Arnold Clark Charge has been recognised as the Up-and-coming Rapid/Ultra-Rapid Network in the 2025 Zapmap EV charging survey.
"This recognition means a great deal because it comes directly from EV drivers. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we're proud to offer them a reliable, easy and stress-free charging experience at locations across the UK.
"As we continue to expand our network, our goal remains to make EV charging as convenient and accessible as possible for all drivers.”
Arnold Clark Charge: winner of Up-and-coming Medium EV Network 2025
Key Drivers of customer satisfaction: reliability, ease of use, and payment options
Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder & COO at Zapmap, said:
“Many congratulations to all the networks, particularly Tesla Public Supercharger and Smart Charge, who top the rankings in their respective categories. This year we have 19 networks on the combined rankings table, with new additions and movements across categories showing the extent to which the market continues to evolve.
“These rankings provide first hand feedback directly from EV drivers, acting as a solid indication of which networks are more reliable, as well as giving the industry guidance on driver needs and priorities. Overall satisfaction with the public charging infrastructure has improved — from 64% last year to 69% this year — which is also reflected in the increasing scores across the reliability indicator, the key consideration for drivers. Cost of charging on the public network continues to be a concern for drivers, with the majority of networks, with a couple of notable exceptions, receiving their lowest score for value for money.
“Looking to the future, over 60% of drivers expect the public charging network to continue to improve, and I am sure that the charge point networks will rise to the challenge, carrying on investing in more chargers and putting the customer experience at the heart of what they do. At Zapmap, we’ve recognised this need and our app users can now pay with our charging card as well as via the app.”
Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, representing the EV driver, said:
“EV drivers care about their experience at public chargepoints — whether they work, whether they are easy to use, and whether they are affordable. It is therefore fantastic to see those networks that are responding to driver's needs being spotlighted and rewarded in Zapmap's annual network rankings. The user experience at public chargepoints is fundamental to the success of the transition to electric. With two thirds of EV drivers believing that the public charging network is showing ongoing signs of real improvement, those operators that are focusing on their reliability, accessibility and affordability can pave the way for the sector as a whole to continue to deliver a driver experience that gets better and better each year.”
Jade Edwards, Head of Insights at Zapmap, said:
“Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey, now in its eighth 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 Smart Charge, 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 and charging on the public network, while showing the trends over time.
“This year's survey results will shortly be released in report format, including more insight than ever before into how EV drivers are using the variety of different charging options that the UK's public network provides.”
Zapmap survey network rankings: methodology and meaning
Zapmap’s latest annual network rankings are produced from the feedback of 3,976 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) drivers in the Zapmap annual survey, which were gathered during September and October 2025. Numbers for networks’ devices and locations are taken from the Zapmap database for the end of September and based on rapid / ultra-rapid chargers only.
This year there are two categories for ‘Best EV charging network’:
- Large rapid / ultra-rapid - for networks with more than 500 devices with power rating over 50kW, receiving a minimum of 250 responses in the survey
- Medium rapid / ultra-rapid - for networks with between 150 and 500 devices with power rating over 50kW receiving a minimum of 70 responses in the survey
- In addition, the charge points must be open to all types of EV (only responses from non-Tesla drivers were included in the rankings for the Tesla network)
Ratings are generated using a 5-point scale from an overall rating of ‘very dissatisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’. This data is averaged to produce a standardised score. The final star rating is assigned via a normalisation formula, ensuring each network is ranked relative to all networks included within our rankings of rapid/ ultra rapid networks.
