Zap-Map has revealed the results of its annual electric vehicle (EV) charging network satisfaction rankings.

The league table ranks the most popular EV charging networks based on data from its annual survey of Zap-Map’s community of EV drivers.

The results based on a sample of over 1,500 Zap-Map users, show that Tesla retains its top spot as the country’s most appreciated EV charging provider, with the network receiving the highest ranking.

One driver commented that Tesla’s service is "the standard that all networks should aspire to".

InstaVolt retains its position in second place for the third year running, with one driver praising the network for being ‘modern and reliable’ and praised that chargers ‘usually come in pairs’, along with the contactless payment feature.

Osprey (formerly Engenie) achieved third place, which scored highly for its reliability and ease of use.

This year’s survey rates 16 charging providers which are ranked from a maximum of five stars down to the lowest ranking of two stars.

For those networks which EV drivers use regularly, respondents were asked to rate their overall satisfaction (using a five-point Likert scale), and their level of satisfaction in the four key areas of: reliability, ease of use, cost and facilities.

Zap-Map co-founder, Dr Ben Lane, said: “This year’s network rankings should focus the minds of all EV charging providers. As the survey demonstrates, EV drivers are very clear about the factors that make for a good charging experience, with reliability and ease of use being key priorities.

“A new generation of drivers want to arrive at a charge point and be confident that it will be simple to use and a trouble-free experience. They are quick to pick up that different networks offer varying levels of service and will actively visit networks that provide a reliable and easy-to-use experience.”

To help car buyers make the transition to EV’s, Hendy Group has partnered with Zoom EV to provide discounted charging, energy tariffs and parking across all new and used EVs sold via its network.

Hendy Group’s commercial director Mark Busby said the partnership will provide reassurance to customers considering EVs that they can easily access the right services.

Compared with the previous ranking survey, Osprey leap-frogged five places to achieve third place, BP Pulse (formerly BP Chargemaster/Polar) dropped from fifth position to 13th place and Swarco E.Connect entered the list for the first time in a strong fifth position.

Ecotricity’s Electric Highway network was ranked with the lowest score.

Lane said: “The Zap-Map user rankings also highlight which networks urgently need to improve their charging services. As the EV market moves from early adopters to the mass market, EV drivers just want to be charge without any fuss.

“Poor-performing networks will need to take a long, hard look at the quality of the services they offer if they want to retain their customers as the EV market grows apace.”

Zap-Map user ratings for EV charging networks in UK