Ecotricity EV network described as ‘outdated and unreliable’

*The full list is located at the bottom of this article

Electric Highway, energy supplier Ecotricity’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network, has been described as “out of date and unreliable” in Zap-Map’s annual satisfaction survey.

For those networks which EV drivers use regularly, respondents were asked to rate their overall satisfaction and also on four key areas: reliability, ease of use, cost and facilities.

In total 16 have been rated by a 1,500-strong sample of the EV mapping service’s users.

Overall Electric Highway, which has more than 300 chargers located at motorway services and IKEA stores, was ranked 2 stars out of 5 and came bottom.

As well as being the lowest overall ranked network, Electric Highway is placed last for reliability and ease of use.

Zap-Map said survey respondents commented that that the units are old, poorly maintained, and frequently out of service. It also highlighted how most sites only had one combined charging system (CCS) connector with no alternative provision.

Furthermore, there were “mixed comments” on the network’s helpline, with a lack of out of hours support being the key issue and the network’s app was criticised for a lack of a contactless payment or other open access option.

One user was quoted as saying: “They kickstarted the market, but now they are out of date and unreliable, with a monopoly on motorway site locations.”

The network was however praised for the fact most chargers are located at motorway service areas, that almost all locations have plenty of amenities. As a result, it was ranked third overall in the facilities category. Drivers also liked the fact that the chargers often revert to free vend if there is an issue and the promise of 100 per cent renewable energy.

Responding to the ranking Dale Vince, Founder of Ecotricity, told Utility Week: “This survey was from a very small group of EV drivers – it’s not representative of real world experience. The Electric Highway continues to be the country’s most-used charging network delivering around 2 million miles of emission-free driving every month – that’s more than networks with ten times as many pumps.

“Our prominence means that when problems occur with our pumps, which they do – they are felt more acutely.  The industry is just coming out of the early adopter phase of the EV market and charging technology has matured alongside cars, and the new pumps we’re all installing are a step change in the right direction.”

Charge Your Car (CYC), ranked second from bottom, is a mixed network of 800 rapid, fast and slow chargers. It has reduced in size in the past year and was given a low rating in all categories bar price, which saw it ranked 4th.

CYC’s users cited issues such as poor reliability, with chargers often being out of service, slow maintenance response and “patchy customer service”.

Third from bottom is Source London, with many of its users complaining about the price which Zap-Map says is highly unusual as it is charged on a per minute basis rather than the more standard per kWh. However the price for charging generally includes the price of parking, which is high in London.

The majority of its sites are on-street rather than at destination sites such as retail parks and the network includes no rapid units.

Zap-Map user ratings for EV charging networks in UK

Topping the list with a 5-star rating was Tesla, which retained its 2019 placing. Its network has more than 560 high power superchargers and 1,100 destination site chargers.

The Tesla network is only open to Tesla drivers which means there is no need for access cards. Furthermore, there is free charging for many early adopters.

As well as being in the overall top spot, Tesla was in first place for all other categories with the exception of price. Here it came second to ChargePlace Scotland where many chargers are free to use. In 2020, Tesla added CCS charging capability for the Model 3 and upgraded many supercharger locations to 250 kW.

Osprey, which was formally known as Engenie, also fared well in the latest rankings, moving from 8th in 2019 to third place this year, also coming third for reliability and ease of use.

It has more than 170 rapid and fast chargers across the UK and through a partnership with Marston’s brewery, many are located at pubs and restaurants. As a result, it was ranked in 2nd place for facilities.

Ben Lane, co-founder and chief technology officer at Zap-Map, 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.

“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.”

*Breakdown of key area rankings: