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Drivers want faster en route charging

Zap-Map EV Charging Survey reveals latest user trends and experiences

There has been a marked increase in the use of ultra-rapid chargers across the UK, which indicates both a willingness by electric vehicle owners to drive further and a better distribution of the more powerful terminals across the UK. The increasing popularity of ultrarapid chargers is one of the findings of the annual Zap-Map EV Charging Survey, which provides insight into the experience of 3,000 EV drivers across the UK.

The survey reveals changes in driver behaviour, most notably in the area of high-powered, en route charging and the increasing popularity of charging hubs.

The annual study also reveals high levels of satisfaction among EV drivers, who are increasingly confident about driving long distances, with less than 1% wanting to go back to petrol or diesel.

Zap-Map has also published a top 18 ranking of charging networks based on driver satisfaction, with the top three networks being InstaVolt, MFG EV Power and Osprey.

The rise of rapids and hubs

The new report presents the results from the survey conducted in 2021 together with findings from previous annual surveys in 2017-2020. The results confirm that the vast majority of EV drivers (93%) use the UK’s public charging networks, with 40% using public chargers at least once a week.

There had been significant increase in both the installation and usage of highpowered – also known as ultra-rapid –charging devices across the country in 2021. While rapid chargers (25kW –99kW) are still used by the most EV drivers overall, the survey found that the usage of ultra-rapid chargers jumped to 27% of EV drivers – up from just 16% in the previous survey.

In part, the increase in usage is being driven by the growing number of ultrarapid chargers that are now available to use, with the number of ultra-rapid devices available growing by 60% in 2021. However, Zap-Map believes it also provides an indication that the new ultrarapids are fulfilling demand from EV drivers travelling longer distances, with most new EVs now able to charge at the higher speed.

Ultra-rapid 100kW+ devices are prime examples of en route charging, which is when drivers want to charge their EV as quickly as possible. Zap-Map said that for this reason, and because drivers want to be confident that such devices will be available to use upon arrival, another trend that the survey highlights is the growth in popularity of EV charging hubs.

Typically groups of between four and ten charging devices, hubs predominantly sport rapid or ultra-rapid devices that enable drivers to add between 70 and 200 miles of charge in around 30 minutes. The survey found that networks installing charging hubs saw particularly high increases in demand from EV drivers.

InstaVolt, for example, leapt up to 42% of EV drivers – from 26% previously. The Gridserve Electric Highway, at 29%, proved popular for its first year, while high-powered networks IONITY and Osprey saw increases in use.

What types of public charging points do you use?

User satisfaction: the top charging networks EV Network Rank Rating Rank

InstaVolt 1 4.4 2

MFG EV Power 2 4.2 n/a

Osprey

3 4.0 3 Pod Point 4 3.8 4 Gridserve Electric Highway =5 3.6 n/a Shell Recharge =5 3.6 6 NewMotion =7 3.5 8 IONITY =7 3.5 10 Ubitricity 9 3.4 n/a Swarco E.connect 10 3.3 5 GeniePoint 11 3.1 12 ESB Energy 12 3.0 7 ChargePlace Scotland 13 2.9 9 Source London 14 2.7 14 EV Charge Online 15 2.6 n/a bp pulse 16 2.5 13 Charge Your Car 17 2.4 15 Ecotricity Electric Highway (legacy) 18 2.0 16 Note: Tesla was removed from the rankings because its Superchargers are only available to Tesla drivers Source: Zap-Map

Ultra-rapid chargers and hubs are a crucial area of investment

Supermarkets and service areas

While charging hubs demonstrated the most growth in terms of usage, supermarkets and motorway service areas retained the top two positions, with 52% and 50% of respondents respectively saying they regularly used these types of location. Indeed, supermarkets have seen a significant increase in chargepoints being installed, and chargepoints at motorway service areas have seen charging facilities being upgraded over the last year by Gridserve. In addition, both retail and public car parks remain popular locations for charging, although usage has dipped in the last year.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and chief executive of Gridserve, said: “As the number of EV drivers on the road approaches half-a-million, a robust charging infrastructure is essential, and the public charging network is growing and developing to meet these changing needs. This new survey shows that the 60% growth in high speed ultra-rapid chargers and the installation of charging hubs across the UK in 2021 are being used by an increasing proportion of EV drivers. We know that EV charging use cases are diverse, as the survey makes clear, and we absolutely need a range of charge speeds to match them. However, amongst other considerations, the demand for highpowered chargers revealed in this report indicates that ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs continue to be a crucial area of investment – for the simple fact that they make long journeys easier.”

Sevadis teams up with Fuuse

Integrated back office solution for chargepoint owners

Sevadis, a supplier of electric vehicle charging products in the UK, is working with chargepoint management system Fuuse to offer a full turnkey solution for commercial customers and fleets.

Sevadis’ customers can now manage their entire EV network with Fuuse, regardless of number of chargers or sites. Businesses can manage payments and tariffs, opening hours and driver access whilst monitoring the status and performance of their chargers. Meanwhile, installers can manage and monitor their entire EV charging portfolios.

Installers could benefit from recurring revenues with Fuuse’s white labelled back office solution, plus features like remote click-to-fix maintenance and comprehensive charging

A Savedis chargepoint

insights providing additional service opportunities.

The companies are both OCPP (open chargepoint protocol) compliant, meaning there is compatibility and interoperability between their hardware and software.

The integration means client businesses will have access to an end-to-end service spanning project conception to completion and beyond. They will also have full control and visibility over their charging network.

Craig Slater, managing director of Sevadis, said: “Installers play an often overseen pivotal role in the EV revolution, which is why we’re partnering with Fuuse to encourage current and next generation chargepoint installers to grow their businesses whilst pushing EV rollout forward.

“Our entire range of EV charging points are OCPP compliant, so to collaborate with Fuuse provides both parties as well as our customers with significant opportunities as the demand for EV charging increases over time. We’re delighted to be offering the opportunity for our customers to benefit from the complete flexibility the system facilitates including public billing and intelligent insights, as well as upcoming innovations of fleet smart charging, dynamic load balancing, reservations and true charger status alerts with occupancy sensors.”

Michael Gibson, chief executive of Fuuse, said: “Sevadis echoes our own belief that the installer community are integral to pushing EV roll out forward. Together we’ll be helping businesses transition their own fleets: balancing their entire fleets’ charging needs with those of the grid and their site(s) as a whole. In addition we’ll be responding to the increasing demand for public infrastructure needs from local authorities, destinations and retailers.”

EZ-Charge ramps up production

British electric car charging specialist EZ-Charge is to ramp-up production of its selfdeveloped 22kWh charging unit. The Oxfordshire-based start-up reports an upsurge in enquiries following the announcement of the government’s new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.

EZ-Charge’s range encompasses home chargers to 50kWh rapids. The company expects a lot of interest will be shown by local authorities in its 22kWh model that accepts contactless payment.

EZ-Charge founder and chief executive Phil Shadbolt OBE said: “We were thrilled when the government announced its new strategy and even happier when we realised that the charger features demanded by the new

An EZ-Charge terminal

legislation had been built into our chargers as ‘must-haves’ from the very beginning.

“However, we were not expecting the announcement to translate into actual interest from potential customers quite so quickly. We’ve literally been overwhelmed and we’ve had to go back to the drawing board to dramatically revise our production schedule upwards.”

GreenFlux and Osprey establish roaming connection for European drivers in UK

European electric vehicle drivers will be able to use their existing apps and payment cards when in the UK following a roaming agreement being signed between GreenFlux and the Osprey Charging Network.

Osprey has become among the first UK networks to open its chargers at this scale to drivers from mainland Europe. Osprey operates more than 300 fast chargers in over 180 locations. The network spans across the entire country, from Cornwall in the southwest to Perthshire in Scotland. Osprey’s charging stations are colocated with food and beverage and retail venues in towns and along major motorways and A-roads.

GreenFlux is a provider of EV charging software and services used by nearly 90,000 EV drivers in Europe. As part of the roaming agreement, drivers served by each of GreenFlux’s EMSP customers can seamlessly access all 300 chargers, and Osprey’s future chargepoints (set to double in 2022), using their usual apps and charge cards.

“One of Osprey’s core values is inclusivity for all drivers, and part of the way we achieve this is through being an open-access network. We believe by facilitating roaming with like-minded partners such as GreenFlux we can play a leading role in the electrification of transport – by giving fleet operators, companies who cross borders, and long-distance drivers, a chargepoint network they can rely on away from home,” says Dora Clarke, head of marketing and communications at Osprey. “Opening up our charging points to European drivers on this scale with GreenFlux is a UK-first.”

Dan Pezim, product manager billing and roaming at GreenFlux, said: “The partnership with Osprey is the latest in a series of international connections, and an important step towards increasing our roaming coverage in the UK. With this agreement, we enhance the value provided to our platform customers, and help make EV charging more convenient for drivers.”

CTEK expands support team

Vehicle charging solutions provider CTEK has expanded its UK energy and facilities (E&F) team, which provides training, maintenance, sales, marketing and technical support for car park and chargepoint operators.

CTEK has also partnered with West Midlands-based Rotronics Battery Management Solutions to provide a dedicated UK fulfilment operation. Rotronics is providing a warehousing facility, processing orders, configuring CTEK’s Chargestorm Connected 2 EV chargers to customers’ specifications and managing UK distribution.

CTEK’s EV charging team has expanded with two new sales managers, Mohammed Shi Hub and Nathan Courts, dedicated to chargepoint operators, car park operators and property owners, along with Kaya Ferdinand, covering large chargepoint operators.

Ian Beattie and Adrian Hopkinson have joined the team to cover electrical wholesale customers and installers. CTEK also recently expanded its aftermarket team with the appointment of Mark Poole.

CTEK’s dedicated Skillbase team – comprising Vicktors Nikolajevs, Tony Zeal and Sean Reed – provides external and in-house training on CTEK’s EV products and solutions.

Technical support and expertise is provided by CTEK’s Jack Baker, working closely with CTEK’s support alliances and partnerships manager, Stewart Allen. Marketing activities are led by Katharine Parker.

Cecilia Routledge, global director energy and facilities for CTEK, said: “We have expanded our UK team to provide unrivalled expertise, training, sales and technical support in the field of EV technology. We are also partnering with Rotronics to ensure that we can meet growing customer demand for EV solutions quickly and efficiently.

“The UK is a core market for us, and our 12-strong UK team is here to support chargepoint and car park operators with the development of robust, reliable EV charging installations, which is a vital component in the development of sustainable transport to meet the UK’s environmental goals, as we head along the ‘Road to Zero’.

“Central to CTEK’s proposal is that we don’t just sell wall boxes – we are focussed on working with installers to develop complete, futureproofed EV solutions including software applications, load balancing and remote, online system management.

“Our team is here to work with installers right through the process. This includes helping to scope and plan the project based on customers’ needs and expectations, advice on the government grants available, choosing the right charger, integration with customers’ existing systems and equipment, assistance during the commissioning process and full technical after sales support.”

The CTEK warehousing, fulfilment and system configuration operation at Rotronics, Darlaston, West Midlands

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