Tesla’s Supercharger network has been named the UK’s best public EV chargepoint provider by Driver Power, the country’s leading car ownership survey.
Autovia’s Driver Power insights are pooled from a real-time survey contributed to by some 60,000 motorists each year. The results help the automotive industry understand drivers’ ownership experiences, intentions and priorities.
Chargers from some of the country’s biggest operators were ranked in the survey, following responses from thousands of electric-car drivers. Electric car users were asked to rate chargers in ten categories, including price, charging speed and reliability.
Tesla’s chargers topped the poll in all but one category on the way to achieving a table-topping score of 83 per cent.
Shell Recharge was ranked the best operator open to drivers of any electric vehicle, with an overall score of 79 per cent. Owners said that no other provider offered a better range of locations for chargers, and the firm took a further six top-three category finishes.
With a 77 per cent score, Instavolt was ranked third, just ahead of GeniePoint and Pod Point.
But echoing many EV drivers’ sentiments about the patchy nature of the UK public charging infrastructure, the primary provider of universally-available chargepoints finished at the foot of the table for the second year in succession. Ecotricity was purchased by Gridserve earlier this year, and drivers will be hoping to see an improvement following major planned investment.
This year’s Driver Power chargepoint survey was expanded to include a number of new categories, including questions focusing on lighting and security at charging stations, ease of use, locations, number and condition of chargers, customer service and the quality of the networks’ apps.
Chris Rosamond, consumer and features editor at Auto Express said: “Tesla’s Supercharger network continues to impress, not least because so many Tesla owners can still use the service for free. Shell Recharge’s investment is paying off, and with the firm planning to increase its number of sites from around 170 today to more than 5,000 by 2025, it’s a provider to watch. Some of the biggest and more well-known charging networks will be disappointed to see that their operations need work.
“In October we revealed that many operators are failing to meet their legal accessibility obligations, which could be restricting opportunities to charge for tens of thousands of disabled motorists. Our campaign, backed by TV presenter and paralympic gold medallist Ade Adepitan, is calling for urgent provision of accessible EV charge sites, government regulation on minimum numbers and companies to meet Equality Act 2010 obligation. In light of this, and our Driver Power results, the industry still has much to do.”
Best public EV chargepoints rated:
1. Tesla – 83%
2. Shell Recharge – 79%
3. Instavolt – 77%
4. GeniePoint – 75%
5. Pod Point – 74%
6. Osprey/Engenie – 69%
7. ChargePlace Scotland – 68%
8. BP Pulse/Polar/Chargemaster – 68%
9. Ecotricity (now Gridserve) – 66%
