Zap-Map user survey reveals top 10 EV charging networks The top 3 UK charging networks according to user satisfaction The first results of Zap-Map’s 2019 EV Charging Survey published today reveals the top 10 UK charging networks and the factors that make for high user satisfaction. Zap-Map’s survey panel of more than 1,600 users awarded satisfaction ratings for more than 26 UK networks visited by Zap-Map users. Using a satisfaction score (0-100) based on these user ratings, the top 10 networks identified are: #1: Tesla Supercharger (94) #2: InstaVolt (86) #3: Pod Point (79) #4: NewMotion (77) #5: Polar (BP Chargemaster) / Shell Recharge (73) (joint #5) #7. ChargePlace Scotland (72) #8. Engenie / GMEV (Greater Manchester) (70) (joint #8) #10. GeniePoint (69) Topping the ranking in 2019, more than 86% of drivers using Tesla Superchargers report being ‘very satisfied’ and 10% ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the experience. Tesla continues to set the gold-standard for the EV charging experience with its low charging costs (free for early adopters), reliability and national coverage. Retaining second place for the second year running, InstaVolt leads the ranking within the wider rapid-charging market, with 64% ‘very satisfied’ and 24% ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the charging experience, respondents citing ease-of-use and contactless payments among the most positive aspects of the service. Third on the podium is Pod Point, whose UK-wide network includes slow, fast and rapid charge devices. As the third most used network within the survey sample, 45% are ‘very satisfied’ and 37% ‘somewhat satisfied’ when charging their EV on one of Pod Point’s units, with many users noting their simple-to-use operation. While Tesla continues to lead from the front, their overall ratings slipped slightly compared to last year with a 6% fall in users reporting being ‘very satisfied’. This may be a reflection of the loss of free charging for many Tesla owners and increasing pressure on the Supercharger network as the size of the Tesla fleet continues to rise. Similarly, the percentage in Pod Point’s highest category fell by 5% – although their combined ‘satisfaction’ rating stayed level at 82%. As the largest UK network, Polar maintains its strong satisfaction ranking in joint fifth place with 72% of users being ‘satisfied’, a reflection of its well-maintained national rapid and non-rapid service. While much smaller in its extent, Shell Recharge, which is rolling out rapid units on station forecourts, appears for the first time within the satisfaction rankings sharing fifth place. The Zap-Map survey panel was also asked to rank four key issues related to EV charging on the public network. The results reveal that EV users rank ‘reliability’ as the overriding consideration, with ‘speed’ a secondary factor. Charging cost is deemed to be relatively less important as are facilities available at a charging location. Commenting on the survey, Dr Ben Lane, CTO and Joint MD at Zap-Map, said: “EV drivers are very clear as to what makes for a good charging experience with ‘reliability’ being the number one priority. EV users need to be able to access the whole of the UK network with confidence that the installed chargers will be working and available as advertised. “EV drivers are increasingly savvy about the different levels of service offered by each of the UK’s charging networks and will change their driving routes to use those which offer the best service. This suggests that the market is becoming highly competitive with EV users happy to pay for quality, but avoiding networks which fail to provide a good charging experience.” In addition to the results of the satisfaction survey, Zap-Map data reveals that the reliability of the UK network, taken as a whole, is continuing to improve. While data from July 2018 showed that 8.5% of devices were out-of-service (including 1.1% partially operational), this has now reduced to 5.8% (1.9% partially), a reflection of the ongoing investment by UK networks in new charging infrastructure. The results of the 2019 Zap-Map EV Charging Survey will be published in full in mid-September. Details about the forthcoming publication will appear on the Zap-Map website.
Origin: ZapMap user survey reveals top 10 EV charging networks
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DRIVING READER SURVEY: Driving, we want your feedback
Thankfully, you make sure it’s not a one-way conversation, sharing Driving content over social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and letting us know what you think with online comments, letters, emails and phone calls.But we would like to get to know you and our community better to make sure Driving remains an essential part of your day, every day.Please take five minutes to complete a short survey about Driving content you value most and about how you engage with it.To begin the survey, click here.Thank you for your participation,Jonathan YarkonyManaging Editor
Origin: DRIVING READER SURVEY: Driving, we want your feedback
Driving an electric vehicle saves you big bucks: B.C. Hydro survey
A Ford Fusion Energi electric vehicle being recharged at a charging station.Handout / Ford The longer your commute, the more you save by driving an electric vehicle, according to a survey released Friday by B.C. Hydro. The provincial power utility estimates that consumers could save thousands of dollars a year by switching from a vehicle powered by fossil fuels to one powered by electricity. A commuter driving the 80-km round trip from Surrey to Vancouver, for example, would spend $409 a year in an electric Nissan Leaf, according to the survey. Driving a fossil-fuelled Honda Civic would cost an estimated $2,200, or about $1,700 more a year; a Toyota RV4, $2,519, or $2,000 more; and a Ford F-150, $3,779, or $3,200 more. The B.C. Hydro calculations are based on an electric vehicle costing the equivalent of 25 cents a litre in gasoline. Gasbuddy.com on Thursday listed 10 gas stations in Vancouver with per-litre prices ranging from $1.55 to $1.66. “Fuelling costs for an electric vehicle are about 80 per cent less,” said Tanya Fish, a senior media relations adviser for B.C. Hydro. “The more you drive, the more you save on your fuelling costs.” Fish said B.C. Hydro wanted to look at the cost of commuting with an electric vehicle given that gasoline prices are so high in Metro Vancouver. “It’s very topical,” she said. “I think more and more people are exploring the switch to electric vehicles given that they’ll save significantly on fuelling and maintenance.” Fish said B.C. Hydro reported that last April that there were slightly fewer than 9,000 electric vehicles on the road. Now there are about 18,000. By 2030, B.C. Hydro estimates there will be about 350,000 electric vehicles in the province. They will use the equivalent of 1,050 gigawatts hours per year of energy—the same amount of power used by 97,000 homes. “It’s something we’re planning for to ensure we can handle the load on the system,” she said. She said B.C. Hydro plans to add another 23 fast-charging electric vehicle charging stations this year to the existing network of 58. A fast-charge station can charge an electric vehicle to 80 per cent in 30 minutes or less. The province estimates that consumers can choose from among 44 clean energy vehicles in B.C. priced at $33,000 to $50,000, before incentives. The lowest EV starts at about $29,000. Norway expects 50 per cent of new car sales this year will be electric. In March, the country set a new record with electric vehicles comprising 58.4 per cent of all new car
Origin: Driving an electric vehicle saves you big bucks: B.C. Hydro survey
Franchised dealers ‘better value than ever’ – survey
Upfront service packages make franchised dealers better value than ever when it comes to aftersales work, according to a new survey – but industry bosses say perceptions of higher costs created by high-end facilities must still be addressed to win the trust of customers. The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Consumer Attitude Survey 2019 sampled more than 2000 owners of cars under seven years old, and the results show public confidence in franchised dealers has improved significantly in a number of areas. But Richard Roberts, the chairman of the NFDA National Aftersales Working Group, said: “It is great that the data shows that franchised dealers are seen to do a great job – and that the belief in their abilities improves significantly among anyone who has had an interaction with them. “But the challenge remains to get the perception of quality to match one of value for money. There is a truth in the statement that we can scare customers off with our wonderful premises. That’s a shame, particularly is this era of fixed-price servicing which delivers peace of mind for an incredibly fixed price for a number of years after you buy the car. These packages represent phenomenal value for money and we need to get that message out there.” The survey results show that an increasing number of consumers consider franchised dealers to be professional, knowledgeable and able to provide good customer service. Two-thirds of those surveyed also rated them as the “safest” option for aftersales work, while there was also a significant uplift in consumer knowledge around franchised dealers offering smaller work – such as new tyres or windscreen wiper replacement – at a good price. Franchised dealers also scored significantly higher trust scores for servicing of all engine types, but most significantly hybrid, plug-in-hybrid and pure electric, suggesting that the technology shift for new cars would open up more opportunities. NFDA chairman Mark Squires added: “Where do you go when your Apple product breaks? Most of us go to Apple. As cars get more complex – be it connected technology or new powertrains – I think the expectation among consumers will increasingly be that they want technicians trained on their specific car by the manufacturer who made it to do the work, and there’s no question that will open up opportunities. “The great news from this survey is that the franchised dealers are delivering; the scores are all up in the right places, and the uplift from people who have encountered franchised dealers after usually using independent or high street brands for aftersales work shows that we are well placed to deliver beyond
Origin: Franchised dealers ‘better value than ever’ – survey
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