First-time electric vehicle owners are fascinated by electricity, but brands have a lot to lose, study finds
Most first-time EV owners are very pleased with the experience — especially in terms of service, ride, and styling. And satisfaction with the range is the main reason to buy for certain EV models.
That’s one of the findings from JD Power’s 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Ownership Study (EVX), released on Thursday.
And there are some indications that EV buyers will get EVs back, even if they aren’t completely satisfied — while brands have everything to lose. Power points out that as ownership satisfaction drops, the odds of buying another EV are holding, but the odds of buying it from the same brand plummet.
“We know from our research that many consumers have concerns in the purchase consideration process with aspects such as range,” said Brent Gruber, senior director of global automotive for the company. microbattery and car charger”. “However, once someone bought a BEV, they were pretty much stuck.”
Research shows that incentives promote satisfaction, especially when they are easily obtained. Range satisfaction and quality/reliability are other important factors.
Performance Ford Mustang Mach-E GT 2021
The top two models in the study are Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y, with Kia Niro EV and Ford Mustang Mach-E achieved top ratings among electric vehicles from full-line brands.
There is a fine line separating the types of problems encountered in budget-brand electric vehicles versus premium-brand electric vehicles. Power found that while the top cause of problems for mass-market EVs is the infotainment system, high-end electric models tend to have problems with the exterior. or squeaks and rattles.
Those are some of the same problem areas Consumer Reports recently pointed out in an analysis of EV . problem areas.
Audi E-Tron Sportback 2020
“Our research found that in general, electric vehicles don’t have problems because of model type, but the problems encountered are often related to feature-laden models and technology, which presents a number of challenges. in minimizing quality problems,” says Gruber. “There’s basically a lot to go wrong with.”
The study was conducted with PlugShare, in October and November 2021 and included responses from 8,122 owners of 2016-2022 battery electric models and plug-in hybrid models.
