What are the best electric vehicle charging networks?

From Tesla to Sainsbury’s – the UK’s best EV charging networks, ranked

TL;DR: What are the best electric vehicle charging networks?

Tesla’s public Supercharger network tops the UK’s large charging networks, Smart Charge (run by Sainsbury’s) leads the medium-sized networks, and Arnold Clark Charge is the fastest riser to watch.

These rankings come from Zapmap’s most recent Annual EV Driver Survey, based on feedback from nearly 4,000 electric car drivers.

Picking an EV charging network that suits how you drive

If you’re trying to work out which electric vehicle (EV) charging network is actually worth your time, the short answer is: It depends on what you need it for.

But a handful of names repeatedly come out on top – and that’s the best place to start.

Tesla’s public Supercharger network leads the large-network category for reliability and ease of use, Smart Charge (run by Sainsbury’s) tops the medium-sized networks, and Arnold Clark Charge is the one to watch if you want to back a rising star.

Zapmap’s most recent Annual EV Driver Survey, based on feedback from nearly 4,000 electric car drivers, ranks networks on reliability, ease of use, customer support, value and payment options.

And while the 2026 stats aren’t out yet, the UK’s charging infrastructure has grown over the last year.

Over 120,000 public chargers are now live, with ultra-rapid devices leading the charge. Below, we’ve broken down the top performers so you can see how they stack up before you choose where to plug in.

Six networks earned Zapmap’s ‘EV Driver Recommended’ badge in the large category (Tesla, MFG EV Power, Ionity, Osprey, Instavolt, and Gridserve), and four did the same among medium networks (Smart Charge, BeEV, Fastned, and EV on the Move).

That badge only goes to networks rated at least 3.5 stars by actual drivers, so it’s a decent place to start if you’re choosing between options.

The large networks: Tesla still sets the pace

Tesla’s public Supercharger network took the crown for the large-network category two years running, including the most recent survey – no small feat given how quickly the competition is catching up.

At the time of the survey, Tesla operated 1,115 charging devices across 97 locations, all open to any EV driver, not just Tesla owners.

What makes it stand out isn’t the flashy marketing. The Tesla Supercharger network has always done the ‘boring’ stuff extremely well: Minimal downtime, straightforward station design, and a charging experience that doesn’t need a PhD to work it out.

And that reliability is what earns it the top marks year after year.

MFG EV Power came second, with Ionity and Osprey sharing third. MFG’s strength is sheer coverage, particularly its rollout across Morrisons supermarkets, while Ionity posted the fastest growth of any large network in the survey period.

For EV drivers, the takeaway is simple: For long journeys and motorway charging, these are the names worth having in your app.

The medium networks: Supermarket charging comes of age

Smart Charge, run by Sainsbury’s, topped the medium-sized category in the most recent survey, having been named an ‘up-and-coming network’ only the year before.

Talk about a bona fide glow-up.

And its appeal is straightforward. Charge while you do the weekly shop, at locations you’d be visiting anyway, without paying extra for parking.

BeEV took second place and picked up the highest customer support rating of any network surveyed, which is what you want when something goes wrong mid-charge.

Fastned rounded out the top three, winning praise for its payment flexibility and unmistakable yellow stations.

If your charging habits are built around errands and shorter trips rather than long motorway hauls, this is where the medium networks earn their keep.

The one to watch

Arnold Clark Charge picked up Zapmap’s ‘up-and-coming network’ title after only opening to the public in the second half of 2025.

Backed by the car dealership’s existing footprint and automotive know-how, it launched across 57 locations and scored well across every driver metric that matters, including a high customer support rating.

And it’s not hard to see why.

Dealer groups understand what drivers want from a charging stop, and Arnold Clark’s pricing is positioned to rival Tesla’s – which says a lot, given Tesla’s reputation for value.

What’s changed since the last survey

The 2026 driver survey hasn’t opened yet, so this year’s rankings haven’t shifted.

But the infrastructure underneath them has moved on.

As of April 2026, the UK’s public charging network passed 120,000 chargers, representing an 11% increase year-on-year. Ultra-rapid devices, the ones that can get a typical battery from 20-80% in 20 to 30 minutes, grew fastest of all at nearly 40%.

And for the first time, the number of charging hubs, defined as eight or more rapid or ultra-rapid chargers at a single site, passed the 1,000 mark.

None of that changes who’s winning driver satisfaction surveys.

But it does mean the overall experience of finding a working, fast charger nearby keeps getting easier, which is good news no matter what network you’re using.

What to look for in a charging network

Chasing badges and league tables only gets you so far.

What matters day-to-day comes down to five things, and they’re the same five things Zapmap asks drivers about:

• Reliability: The charger works when you arrive rather than displaying an error message and a shrug
• Ease of use: Because you don’t want to wrestle with three different apps before you’ve even plugged in
• Support: Customer service that makes it easy to sort out issues, rather than a hold queue, a script, and an AI-bot
• Fair pricing: Value for money is where most networks still fall down according to drivers
• Payment flexibility: So you’re not caught out without the right card or app

If a network scores well across most of these for the driving that you’re doing on the daily (school runs, supermarket dashes, cross-country trekking to see family around the holidays), it’s probably the right one for you.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main EV charging networks available in the UK?

The main large networks (500 or more devices) are Tesla Supercharger, MFG EV Power, Ionity, and Osprey.

Among medium-sized networks (150 to 500 devices), Smart Charge, BeEV, and Fastned lead the pack.

Where can I find fast and reliable EV charging near me?

Apps like Zapmap are the easiest way to find rapid charging points nearby, showing live availability alongside driver reviews.

Reliable as networks like Tesla and Smart Charge tend to be, individual stations can still have off days. So, it’s always worth checking recent reviews before you set off, especially if you’re relying on a specific charger for a journey.

Which EV charging networks offer the most reliable service?

Tesla’s public Supercharger network consistently rates highest for reliability among the large networks, largely down to minimal downtime and thoughtful station design.

Among the medium networks, Smart Charge and BeEV both perform strongly, with BeEV earning the top score for customer support when something does go wrong.

Which EV charging networks offer the most coverage nationwide?

MFG EV Power leads on sheer coverage, with over 1,300 chargers across 522 locations, including 300 Morrisons supermarkets.

Tesla takes a different approach, concentrating its 1,115 devices along major travel corridors rather than spreading thin.

BeEV and Smart Charge both operate across 84 locations, while Ionity focuses on high-power charging at around 58 strategic sites.

What payment options are available across major EV charging networks?

Most major networks now support contactless card payment alongside their own apps, but flexibility varies.

Fastned stands out for offering the widest range of payment methods, meaning you’re rarely caught without a way to pay.

Others, including Zapmap itself, offer a single app or charge card that works across multiple networks, which can simplify things if you regularly charge with more than one provider.