Zapmap, the UK’s main cost level mapping service, has at this time launched its annual satisfaction rankings for lower-powered, ‘vacation spot’ and ‘on-street’ public charging networks within the UK – with Mer coming in first place.
Now in its sixth yr, the league desk derives from Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey, performed throughout October 2023. The survey, which is essentially the most established and complete survey of EV drivers within the UK, noticed file responses from greater than 4,000 electrical automobile drivers.
This yr, for the primary time, Zapmap has produced two units of community rankings, with a view to higher account for the distinction in scale and operation between these predominantly centered on vacation spot or on-street charging provision, and people that are primarily supporting the rollout of fast or en-route charging. The rankings for en-route charging suppliers have been introduced final week.
For this yr’s 2023-24 rankings, Zapmap is once more awarding a ‘Greatest EV Charging Community’ accreditation to the highest scorer, with the others within the prime three additionally receiving an ‘EV Driver Really useful’ title. This yr, Zapmap can also be introducing a brand new ‘Up and Coming Community’ accreditation.
As a part of the survey, respondents rated their general satisfaction for the networks they use commonly, which is then used to rank every community out of a most of 5 stars. Additionally they rated their degree of satisfaction with the networks in 5 key areas: reliability, ease of use, buyer help, worth for cash, and fee choices.
In first place this yr is vacation spot charging community Mer, which scored extremely for the reliability and ease of use of its charging community, and secures this yr’s ‘Greatest EV Charging Community’ badge.
In joint-second are Related Kerb and ubitricity, two networks centered on rolling out low-powered, on-street gadgets for in a single day charging. The 2 networks earn ‘EV Driver Really useful’ titles for the 2023-24 rankings.
The league desk under illustrates Zapmap customers’ hottest vacation spot and on-street public charging networks within the UK. These operators provide a mixture of medium-powered chargers – for topping up at locations akin to supermarkets – and low-powered gadgets on residential streets, which give an alternative choice to charging at house.
To be able to be included within the league desk, every community should have greater than 100 charging gadgets – not less than 80% of which should not be fast or ultra-rapid gadgets. Furthermore, every vacation spot or on-street community was required to obtain a minimal of fifty responses within the survey (fewer than the 100 responses required for the en-route league desk).
This yr Zapmap has additionally added a brand new ‘Up and Coming Community’ class, for these networks with not fairly the requisite variety of responses from EV drivers within the survey, however whose efficiency would have put them close to the highest of the desk.
The ‘Up and Coming Community’ on this yr’s vacation spot and on-street rankings is RAW Charging, a community that already has over 75 charging areas and 215 gadgets throughout the UK, most of them 7-22 kW gadgets.
Vacation spot & on-street charging networks ranked 2023/24
1st – Mer – Star Score 3.5With round 1,300 gadgets at nearly 670 areas in England and Wales, European community Mer has been increasing at tempo in 2023. And whereas Mer scored extremely throughout the board, reliability and ease of use have been key to the operator’s place this time round, serving to it to win the ‘Greatest EV Charging Community’ badge on this yr’s vacation spot and on-street satisfaction rankings.
Certainly, it could appear that Mer’s providing goes down effectively with electrical automobile drivers throughout the nation. Suggestions highlighted Mer chargers as “Good” and “excellent,” with some drivers “Very impressed” by the operator. Others centered on the enlargement of the community, highlighting “An increasing number of [Mer] areas being rolled out by Dorset Council of their automobile parks.”
Elizabeth Warren, Interim Director of Public Charging at Mer UK, stated: “We’re thrilled to have come first in Zapmap’s CPO community rankings for vacation spot and on road networks. Mer is working onerous to construct a dependable, future-fit public charging community to assist hold UK drivers transferring sooner, cleaner, and higher.”
“As we proceed to construct charging hubs throughout the nation, we endeavour to proceed to supply easy, sustainable charging options for each present and potential drivers that make the transition to EV as seamless as attainable.”
Community stats:
Round 1,300 gadgets at nearly 670 areas throughout England and WalesNetwork predominantly comprised of medium-powered vacation spot chargers: over 1,100Accepts contactless and digital funds by way of cross-network answer Zap-Pay
Joint 2nd – Related Kerb – Star Score 3.5Connected Kerb has nearly 3,000 charging gadgets at 750 areas throughout the UK – and impressive plans to put in 190,000 on-street gadgets by 2030. Coming in joint-second place this time round, Related Kerb has greater than doubled the variety of gadgets in its community since final yr, predominantly putting in dependable chargers in automobile parks and on residential streets.
The reliability and ease of use of Related Kerb’s charging gadgets, in addition to its buyer help, have been key to the community’s place this yr, serving to it to win an ‘EV Driver Really useful’ accreditation. Suggestions centered on the reliability of Related Kerb cost factors, with respondents highlighting the community’s “Excellent” chargers and grateful for its “easy tech.”
Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Related Kerb, stated: “Delivering a seamless charging expertise that drivers love – that’s what we’re right here to do, and our Zapmap rating reveals we’re getting that proper.
“The EV transition must work for everybody, not only a few. This implies placing inclusivity on the coronary heart of our charging community, so irrespective of the place you reside, charging is dependable, accessible and handy – and simply works.
“Drivers having confidence in our community at this time means the world to us, however the work doesn’t cease right here – there’s far more to return. Our crew are persevering with to put in EV charging at tempo and scale, to ship a ubiquitous charging community that everybody can get pleasure from.”
Community stats:
Virtually 3,000 charging gadgets throughout 750 areas, predominantly on residential streets and in automobile parksPlans to put in 190,000 on-street chargers by 2030Connected Kerb is a dwell Zap-Pay companion
Joint 2nd – ubitricity – Star Score 3.5In joint-second place this yr is Shell-owned ubitricity. With nearly 7,800 on-street charging gadgets in London and different cities throughout the UK, ubitricity is quickly increasing its community, not least as a result of the corporate is aiming to put in 50,000 charging gadgets within the UK by 2025.
This yr ubitricity got here in joint-second for reliability, joint-third for ease of use, and first for worth for cash – serving to the community to win an ‘EV Driver Really useful’ accreditation.
Suggestions highlighted ubitricity’s “Straightforward to make use of” chargers as “Handy and compact,” in addition to “Reasonably priced” and “Good worth.” Though many drivers flagged that ubitricity bays are sometimes “occupied by non-EV vehicles,” one described the community as “A vital a part of my EV possession…tremendous handy. Simply want there have been extra of them.”
Toby Butler, UK managing director of ubitricity stated: “The entire ubitricity crew are delighted to be named as one of many UK’s prime three really useful charging networks.
“Because the UK’s largest public charging community, we would like EV charging to be a simple and seamless expertise for our clients. In 2023, we’re proud to have introduced handy EV charging to much more members of the general public by including over 2,500 new cost factors to our community.
“We’re wanting ahead to additional increasing our community throughout the entire of the UK and to proceed giving EV drivers an awesome charging expertise.”
Community stats:
Virtually 7,800 on-street charging gadgets throughout EnglandCharge factors concentrated in London, however with rising presence in cities throughout England together with Liverpool and OxfordPlans to put in 50,000 charging gadgets within the UK by 2025 [source: ZapMap]
Nov 20, 2023