- According to Power, the use of DC fast charging has improved
- The ease of charging and accepting payments is the biggest difference between Tesla’s network and others.
- About 19% of people surveyed said they had encountered a charger that didn’t work.
Customer satisfaction with public EV charging continues to improve, with Tesla retaining its lead, according to new research from J.D. Power.
Despite the issues, JD Power found improvements in the first two quarters of 2024. Satisfaction with DC fast charging increased to 664 on a 1,000-point scale, up 10 points from the same period in 2023. Satisfaction with Level 2 AC charging dropped slightly by three points to 614.
Among Level 2 users, satisfaction improved in five of the 10 factors that make up that ranking, and DC fast charging saw satisfaction improve in six of those 10 areas. One sticking point with AC charging was speed, where satisfaction with Level 2 chargers dropped four points, to 451. Satisfaction with DC fast charging speed increased from 588 points in 2023 to 622 points in 2024.
GM and Pilot Company EV Charging Network
Meanwhile, another study by JD Power released in June found that Tesla Supercharger Network is losing its edgeIt remains the top-rated DC fast charging network for the fourth year in a row. The Tesla Destination Network is also the top-rated Level 2 network.
The biggest gap between Tesla and non-Tesla charging experiences is Pay and charge easilyTesla lists customers who have started fast charging through automated payments, which research shows is especially important for EV drivers, but other automakers and charging networks have been slow to roll out comparable automated payment systems like Plug & Charge, according to J.D. Power.
The fact that some non-Tesla electric vehicle owners can now access the Tesla Supercharger network thanks to automakers Apply North American Charging Standard (NACS) may be a factor in overall satisfaction with charging, J.D. Power said. But Increased consistent reliability will likely depend on guaranteed interoperability between vehicles and charging stations.
Gravity EV Charging Center in New York City
And Reliability remains an issueAccording to J.D. Power. Of the electric vehicle owners surveyed for this study, 19% reported that they went to a charging station and were unable to charge their vehicle. That’s not really an improvement from J.D. Power’s previous study from 2023, which found that One in five charges fail.
The main culprit is a non-working charger, affecting 61% charging attempt failed. Lack of charger and/or long waiting times (20%) and damaged cables or connectors (10%) are also factors. EVgo has announced a program improvements and better diagnostics are coming to address this issue, but it still seems like there’s a long way to go.
