Zapmap published an updated version of its guide to finding and paying for electric vehicle charging on 4 September 2026, written by Nic Ryan1. The guide sets out five functions of the Zapmap app: locating nearby charge points, paying for charging in the app or with a Zapmap charging card, adding an EV model, planning routes, and checking in at a charge point1.
Zapmap states that the app has over two million downloads and over one million registered users, and that it has been helping drivers for more than 10 years1. It cites over 123,000 public EV chargers across the UK, with over 80% of charge points displaying a colour-coded icon for live status: in use, out of order, or available1. Payment is offered across over 40 charging networks, and VAT receipts are available in the charging history section of the app's settings menu1.
"With over two million app downloads and over one million registered users, Zapmap is the UK's go-to app for finding reliable charge points"
The guide describes three routing modes in the route planner: Autoroute, Suggest chargers and Show all chargers1. Users can set a starting charge level, a desired charge on arrival and remaining range on return, and can avoid motorways or tolls1. Adding an EV model allows filtering for compatible charge points; unlimited models require Zapmap Premium, which also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto access and a 5% charging discount when paying within the app1. A one-week free trial of Premium is offered1.
Separately, Zapmap's charging costs guide, also updated on 4 September 2026, gives public network prices. Ultra-rapid charge points are typically priced at 79p/kWh, while slower charging ranges between free to use and around 57p/kWh2. Zapmap states that around 85% of all EV charging happens at home2. In its worked examples, drivers who mainly charge at home on a low-cost EV tariff have an annual charging cost of £660 and save £1,030 a year against a petrol or diesel car; drivers splitting charging between home, supermarkets and motorway stops save £590 a year2.
On public charging costs, Zapmap attributes part of the level to a grid code change that means operators absorb standing charges that are, in some cases, 10 times what they were two years ago, and notes that commercial businesses do not have a set price cap for the rate they charge consumers for EV energy2. It states that public network prices continued to increase during 2025 and that some prices can be expected to continue increasing through to the start of 20262. Campaign groups including FairCharge are lobbying the government to reduce VAT on public charging from 20% to 5% to match domestic charging costs, and the government has yet to make a decision2.
Zapmap's beginner's guide, updated the same day, divides the public network into high-power chargers of 50 to 400 kW, covering rapid and ultra-rapid devices, and low-power chargers of 3 to 49 kW, covering standard and standard plus devices4. It states that at low-power speeds a car takes anywhere from six to 18 hours to charge to 80%, and that the main connectors are Type 2 for lower-powered AC charging and CCS for higher-powered DC charging4. It also notes that the government has mandated contactless payment on all new rapid chargers installed4.
Why it matters for households
For a household with a driveway, the cost gap between charging at home and charging on the public network is the central figure. Zapmap puts typical ultra-rapid public charging at 79p/kWh against home charging on an off-peak tariff, which is where its £660 annual example and the £1,030 saving against a petrol or diesel car come from2. A home charge point sits in the 3 to 49 kW band and is designed for overnight charging, which is what makes the cheaper overnight rates usable4. Households without off-street parking depend on the public network, where prices are not capped and where Zapmap reports continued increases through 20252. The VAT difference between domestic and public charging, at 20% against 5%, remains unresolved2. Practical questions around a home installation, including planning permission, electrical requirements and RCD protection, sit alongside the running costs. Zapmap's own guidance on finding and paying at public chargepoints covers the app functions described above, and the wider EV charging picture includes fitted costs and installation.
What happens next
Zapmap states that some public charging prices can be expected to continue increasing through to the start of 2026, at what it hopes will be a slower rate2. The government has not decided on the campaign to cut VAT on public charging from 20% to 5%2. No date has been reported for a decision.