Introduction
J.D. Power’s recent study on electric vehicle (EV) public-charging infrastructure shows a notable improvement in owner satisfaction over consecutive quarters in the first half of 2024. This U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study evaluates the satisfaction levels of EV owners with both Level 2 and DC fast-charging stations.
Growing Pains and Improvement
The study acknowledges that while the number of public chargers is growing, it is not keeping pace with the rising number of EVs on the road. This imbalance has historically contributed to lower satisfaction among EV owners. Key metrics include ease of charging, charging speed, physical condition of stations, and availability of chargers. Recent findings reveal that, despite these challenges, satisfaction is on the rise for the first time in years, showing improvements in areas such as ease of use and charging speed.
Survey Findings
Data was collected from 9,605 EV and plug-in hybrid owners. The survey ranks various charging networks on a 1,000-point scale:
– DC fast charging satisfaction increased by 10 points, reaching 664.
– Level 2 charging saw a slight dip, down 3 points to 614.
Specific network rankings highlighted were:
– Tesla Destination: 658 (Level 2)
– Volta: 645 (Level 2)
– ChargePoint: 626 (Level 2)
– Blink: 562 (Level 2)
– Tesla Supercharger: 731 (DC Fast)
– ChargePoint: 627 (DC Fast)
– EVgo: 566 (DC Fast)
– Electrify America: 559 (DC Fast)
The Great Tesla Democratization
The study also examines the impact of Tesla opening its Supercharger network to non-Tesla vehicles. Tesla’s seamless plug-and-pay system significantly boosts owner satisfaction, but this convenience isn’t yet extended to non-Tesla EVs, which require adapters to connect and separate payment methods. Overall, non-Tesla users rated their Supercharger experience at 706, which is significantly higher than the general satisfaction with public DC fast-charging networks.
Conclusion
The J.D. Power study offers promising insights into the improving landscape of public EV charging. Despite some ongoing challenges regarding the balance of charger availability and increasing EV sales, owner satisfaction is on a positive trajectory, benefiting from enhancements in charging ease, speed, and network expansions.
