According to J.D. Power, the satisfaction with EV charging is on a decline, raising concerns for industry leaders as electric vehicle adoption continues to rise.
The recently released 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study by J.D. Power indicates a drop in charging satisfaction for both Level 2 and Level 3 chargers across almost every category. The study, which was initiated in 2021, reveals that satisfaction with Level 2 charging has decreased to an average score of 617 on a 1,000-point scale, marking a decline of 16 points compared to the previous year. Level 2 chargers, commonly used at home, work, or during daily activities, take several hours to charge a battery.
Furthermore, satisfaction with Level 3, or fast chargers, experienced a 20-point decrease, averaging at 654. Fast chargers are capable of restoring power to 80 percent within 20 minutes and are primarily used during long-distance travel when the battery is depleted or insufficient to reach the destination. This type of charging is usually a planned stop.
Among the findings, Tesla emerged as the leader in fast-charging satisfaction with a score of 739, being the sole company to surpass the average. For Level 2 charging, Volta claimed the top spot with a satisfaction score of 665, followed closely by Tesla at 661.
Conducted in partnership with PlugShare, an EV driver app maker and research firm, the study involved over 15,000 participants who owned battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles from January through June 2023.
The study assesses satisfaction based on factors such as the ease and speed of charging, physical condition of charging stations, charger availability, convenience of the location, activities to engage in during charging, perceived safety at the location, ease of locating the station, charging cost, and payment convenience.
