Tesla and Sainsbury’s Smart Charge have topped the rankings in Zapmap’s annual UK EV driver satisfaction survey, which reveals the country’s best rapid and ultra-rapid public charging networks.
Now in its eighth year, Zapmap’s independent survey gathered 3,976 responses from battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers during September and October 2025.
The results show Tesla’s Public Supercharger network retaining its position as ‘Best Large Network’, while Smart Charge, the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain’s charging arm, was named ‘Best Medium Network’.
Tesla’s national network, which now has 1,115 devices across 97 locations, impressed drivers with its reliability and competitive pricing.
Around 54% of its Supercharger network is now open to all EV drivers, up from 40% a year ago, with further expansion planned through partnerships such as its collaboration with EV on the Move.
Among large networks, MFG EV Power ranked second, followed by Ionity and Osprey in joint third.
All five major networks achieving a 3.5-star or higher overall rating, including GRIDSERVE and Instavolt, received Zapmap’s ‘EV driver recommended’ accreditation.
In the medium category, Sainsbury’s Smart Charge claimed the top spot with 335 rapid and ultra-rapid devices across 84 locations, praised for ease of use, reliability, and integration with the Nectar card rewards scheme.
Be.EV ranked second and Fastned third, with both also achieving ‘EV driver recommended’ status alongside EV on the Move.
Arnold Clark Charge was recognised as this year’s ‘Up-and-coming network’ following the rollout of 57 sites since mid-2025, earning the highest customer support rating of all networks surveyed.
Overall satisfaction among EV drivers has risen from 64% in 2024 to 69% this year, with reliability emerging as the top factor influencing user experience.
Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and chief operating officer at Zapmap, said: “Many congratulations to all the networks, particularly Tesla Public Supercharger and Smart Charge, who top the rankings in their respective categories.
“These rankings provide first-hand feedback from EV drivers and clear guidance for the industry on what matters most.
“Overall satisfaction and reliability scores have improved again this year, showing that the public charging landscape is moving in the right direction.
“While cost remains a concern for many drivers, more than 60% expect the network to continue improving as investment and customer focus increase.”
Zapmap’s latest data highlights rapid progress in the UK’s charging infrastructure, with around 400,000 more EVs on the road compared with December 2024 and networks expanding their footprint nationwide.
