Industry newcomer Rivian has impressed owners not only with the R1T electric truck, but as part of a comprehensive review of the ownership experience.
The Rivian R1T ranked highest for satisfaction in results released Tuesday from an annual study focusing on electric vehicle ownership from survey giant JD Power. It is followed, in order of rank, by Mini Cooper SE, KIA EV6Tesla Model 3, and Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Power’s U.S. electric vehicle ownership experience study, which looks at electric vehicle owner satisfaction, currently focuses on the first year of ownership.
In the third year of the study, J.D. Power noted that infotainment was the most problematic category for mass-market electric vehicles, while creaks and clatters topped the list. Complaints about high-end electric cars. Satisfaction with the availability of public charging also ranked much higher for owners of high-end electric vehicles, while satisfaction for owners of mass-market electric vehicles was lower. lower. For research context: Tesla is included in the Premium Electric Vehicle category, and both its simplified screen interface and Supercharger charging network are considered Tesla’s strengths relative to the rest of the industry.
Tesla turbocharger
But there are certainly some other surprises here that have helped lift the R1T to the top. Power notes that owner satisfaction is higher among electric truck owners who have used their trucks to tow than those who have not — and that there is higher satisfaction with driving range. vehicles between those who towed versus those who did not.
Setting realistic range expectations from the outset, and helping owners understand how drag will affect it, can play a small role in this.
The percentage of first-time electric vehicle owners in the study increased from 67% in 2022 to 89% this year, and Power notes that vehicle quality and reliability satisfaction for first-timers several times higher than those of electric vehicle owners.
The results for this year’s study are clearly less ominous than those from last year, which indicates high levels of not satisfied with aspects like range and charging—and much to lose for established brands.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS . SUV
As Consumer Reports and others have pointed out — and as Power has pointed out in the past — electric vehicles are the least reliable type of vehicle, but that’s mostly due to problems with Additional technology in the car which electric models tend to include, not because of their propulsion system.
There are 10 areas of focus in the research: stated range accuracy, public chargeability, battery range, cost of ownership, driving enjoyment, home charging, style, safety safety and technology, service experience as well as quality and reliability.
This year’s study is based on feedback from more than 7,000 owners of 2022 and 2023 electric vehicle models, as well as plug-in hybrids, conducted between August and December 2022.
