- In JD Power’s latest survey, electric cars lag far behind gasoline-powered cars in terms of initial quality
- Polestar, Rivian and Tesla did not rank, but the survey did not rate them highly
- Owners do not like the car’s functions embedded in the touchscreen
Medium, New electric vehicle owners reported more problems than internal combustion vehicle owners in the 2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study.
The annual study is based on owner reports of problems with new vehicles and assigns scores to each model and brand based on problems per 100 vehicles. This year, JD Power surveyed 99,144 2024 model year vehicle buyers and leasers in the United States and also incorporated data on repair trips at franchised dealerships for the first time. The results are not very positive for electric vehicles.
Rivian R1S 2024
Electric vehicles on average 266 problems per 100 vehicles, compared with 180 problems per 100 vehicles for gasoline and diesel vehicles. The industry average for brands, across all powertrain types, is 195 incidents per 100 vehicles. Mass-market brands had an average of 181 problems per 100 vehicles, while premium brands were higher at 232 problems, which J.D. Power attributed to the often more complex technology features that these brands deploy.
Among all the electric vehicle brands included in the study, Polestar averaged 316 problems per 100 vehicles while Tesla and Rivian both averaged 266 problems. These brands are not eligible for ranking, but JD Power notes that Original Tesla quality almost on par with electric vehicles from traditional automakers.
Tesla Model 3 performance
Tesla has performed better in the past, JD Power noted, adding that the removal of common controls like turn signals and wipers “has not been well received by Tesla customers.” Indeed, some customers are adding them back for Model S, Model X and the recently introduced Model 3 refresh, known as the Highlands. But the study found that controls, displays and technology features were a problem for electric vehicles in general, with a problem rate per 100 vehicles 30% higher than for gasoline models.
These findings echo other recent studies by J.D. Power. In it Vehicle Reliability Study 2025, After reviewing owner-reported problems during the first three years of ownership, JD Power found that electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are are more likely to get into trouble than hybrids. In its 2022 Initial Quality Study, JD Power highlights that EV powertrains are not particularly prone to problemsBut all other technologies are the same.
