Do you agree with these charger operator rankings?

[tsedge]

This isn't new, but I was looking at the last set of Zapmap charger provider rankings from November 2023 and wondering if these rankings reflects your experiences?

Zapmap unveils the best rated en-route charging networks in the UK - Zapmap

Find the most recent network rankings here: Zapmap survey reveals UK EV drivers’ top-rated charging networks.Zapmap, the UK’s leading charge point...

www.zap-map.com

Zapmap reveals the best rated en-route charging networks in the UK

Zapmap, the UK’s leading charge point mapping service, has released its annual satisfaction rankings for high-powered, ‘en-route’ public charging networks in the UK with Fastned coming in first place. Now in its sixth year, the league table derives from Zapmap’s annual EV charging survey...

electriccarsreport.com

For my part, I have yet to find a FastNed charger near me but I can say that both MFG and Osprey (whom I have used a lot) just work and are very simple to use. (But not the cheapest, clearly).

What are your experiences?

 

[Rolfe]

I've only used Fastned once, when I set up their plug in and go facility, but assuming it works when I actually need them, yes they're good. The chargers were under a canopy which gets them a lot of points from me.

But the only site I know about is the one 35 miles from me beside the M74, and they never come up on ABRP when I'm planning a journey.

 

[5teep]

I'm not sure how they can put Fastned in first place with only 90 chargers across the UK?

 

[tsedge]

I'm not sure how they can put Fastned in first place with only 90 chargers across the UK?

Good point. Tesla is conspicuously absent too.

I've only used Fastned once, when I set up their plug in and go facility, but assuming it works when I actually need them, yes they're good. The chargers were under a canopy which gets them a lot of points from me.

But the only site I know about is the one 35 miles from me beside the M74, and they never come up on ABRP when I'm planning a journey.

By the way, apparently Chargeplace Scotland was top for customer support and price but not overall.

 

[Rolfe]

I don't have any gripe with CPS, the charger of theirs that's five minutes walk from my house always works, but according to the app there are problem sites where the chargers simply aren't being repaired. Also, there are really daft things like huge overstay fines on destination chargers with only a four-hour time limit, and they just blame the council. As if they couldn't explain to the council what a daft idea this is.

 

[5teep]

By the way, apparently Chargeplace Scotland was top for customer support and price but not overall.

Again, showing the lack of research before publishing, Chargeplace Scotland don't set prices, they just run a network of privately owned and council owned chargers, the owners set the price they want to charge.

 

[Archev]

Good point. Tesla is conspicuously absent too.


By the way, apparently Chargeplace Scotland was top for customer support and price but not overall.

CPS customer support has always had my vote - and has been improving over the last few times I’ve called them. ??

 

[5teep]

I don't have any gripe with CPS, the charger of theirs that's five minutes walk from my house always works, but according to the app there are problem sites where the chargers simply aren't being repaired. Also, there are really daft things like huge overstay fines on destination chargers with only a four-hour time limit, and they just blame the council. As if they couldn't explain to the council what a daft idea this is.

Links to my post above, CPS have no say in what prices and fees are set.
I agree the overstay time limit and fees need to be looked at especially now that so many cars have bigger batteries that take longer to charge on the 'standard' 50kw chargers.

 

[tsedge]

I don't have any gripe with CPS, the charger of theirs that's five minutes walk from my house always works, but according to the app there are problem sites where the chargers simply aren't being repaired. Also, there are really daft things like huge overstay fines on destination chargers with only a four-hour time limit, and they just blame the council. As if they couldn't explain to the council what a daft idea this is.

I suppose that is why they didn't place higher, reliability seems to be highly weighted.

 

[Rolfe]

Links to my post above, CPS have no say in what prices and fees are set.
I agree the overstay time limit and fees need to be looked at especially now that so many cars have bigger batteries that take longer to charge on the 'standard' 50kw chargers.

CPS could at least try advising councils how to manage charging rationally.

It's not just about battery size. I think the 55-minute time limit on our 50 Kw village charger is fair enough, because it's the only one and hey, give someone else a go. OK, a lot of the time it isn't busy, but I have seen people waiting, and I once saw someone walk up to it and check the display as I was walking back to my car. (He clocked that I'd seen him, and became very apologetic over what I thought was perfectly normal behaviour.)

It's about CAR PARK DESTINATION CHARGERS. If I plug the car in to a type 2 in a car park, I want to leave it there till I'm done with my shopping, or the theatre performance has ended, or for whatever reason I've finished my business and want to collect my car. I do not want to be running back to the car in the interval or whatever, just to unplug it (no need even to move it, nobody else will be wanting the charger) to avoid a £40 fine. Whether or not it has reached 100%.

 

[5teep]

CPS could at least try advising councils how to manage charging rationally.


It's about CAR PARK DESTINATION CHARGERS.

I doubt CPS could do that but good if they could.

I get that about destination chargers. Here in the Highlands there was some confusion about destination chargers, price and limits after they changed their pricing last year. It's been cleared up online but at sites the only signage you can see says 45 minutes max. Luckily there is no time limit and so no penalty on destination chargers here.

Here's a list of all tarriffs on CPS chargers by 'owner'

Charge Point Tariffs – Charge Place Scotland

chargeplacescotland.org

 

[SparkyEV]

I'm surprised that Gridserve are as high as they are. Had some good experiences of Genie point chargers recently. BP deserve their place towards the bottom of the table IMHO...

 

[Rolfe]

The thing is, type 2 chargers are cheap as chips to install in comparison with DC chargers. If they don't have enough for everyone who wants one then they need to install some more, not slap overstay charges on them. But in general the ones I see are underused. There is no apparent point at all to time limits in that situation.

I have seen some in a town centre by the shops with a four-hour time limit during the day, 8 am till 10 pm. That is arguably reasonable to allow people to charge their car while they shop or have a restaurant meal. (It's a fairly small town, people probably aren't going to shop there for hours.) But they're open for all-night charging so that people who live nearby can get an overnight charge. At least someone seems to have given that some thought, rather than just - oh we have to get these awful EV drivers going and stop them blocking the chargers.

 

[Gomev]

I'm surprised that Gridserve are as high as they are. Had some good experiences of Genie point chargers recently. BP deserve their place towards the bottom of the table IMHO...

Blimey you're the one. I had heard somebody somewhere got a Geniepoint to work. ?

 

[tsedge]

Blimey you're the one. I had heard somebody somewhere got a Geniepoint to work. ?

Indeed. I have never found one that worked yet (tried at least 3).

 

[SparkyEV]

It was one of those moments when I should have bought a lottery ticket but alas I didn't! They were both attached to Premier Inns and also on Electroverse so I'm not sure if either of those have enough clout to get Geniepoint's arses in gear...

 

[Gadget Geek]

Osprey have never let me down, Instavolt did once, but customer support was excellent (and I got a free charge).
I've used Shell and BP on journeys into Wales without issue.

The only network I had real trouble with was Electric Highway at a services on the M5 a few years ago. Oh, and a Gridserve on the M4 near Reading last year.

 

[Rolfe]

I've always been able to start a charge immediately with Gridserve. Once a charger of theirs broke down mid-charge, but as I already had enough to get home on I just unplugged and left. Then I wasn't charged for the session!

I think if you get stuck on one of their old 50 Kw chargers and there's another car on the other plug it can get extremely slow, but I've been lucky there not to have had to share charge when I've been on one of these things.

 

[GaryMG4]

My favourite charger is a 7.4 kW Podpoint at a local nature reserve, 3 hours wandering around enjoying nature, 20kWh added for £5, bargain.

 

[Archev]

My favourite charger is a 7.4 kW Podpoint at a local nature reserve, 3 hours wandering around enjoying nature, 20kWh added for £5, bargain.

I’ve just plugged in to a Podpoint at Tesco South Queensferry. I’ve ordered a bite to eat and a coffee then get some supplies.