Charging satisfaction is on the rise

• DC fast-charging utilization has improved, in line with Energy
• Ease of charging and cost acceptance have been the most important differentiator between Tesla’s community and others
• Some 19% of these surveyed stated they’d encountered inoperable chargers

Buyer satisfaction with public EV charging continues to enhance, with Tesla remaining on high, in line with a brand new J.D. Energy examine.

Whereas points stay, J.D. Energy discovered enhancements over the primary two quarters of 2024. Satisfaction with DC quick charging elevated to 664 factors on a 1,000-point scale, a 10-point enhance from the identical interval in 2023. Satisfaction with Stage 2 AC charging noticed a slight dip of three factors, with a rating of 614.

Amongst Stage 2 customers, satisfaction improved in 5 of the ten components that comprise these rankings, although, and DC quick charging noticed satisfaction enhance in six of these 10 areas. One sticking level with AC charging was pace, the place satisfaction with Stage 2 chargers dropped 4 factors, to 451. Satisfaction with DC fast-charging pace elevated from 588 factors in 2023 to 622 factors in 2024.

GM and Pilot Firm’s EV charging community

Whereas one other J.D. Energy examine printed in June indicated the Tesla Supercharger community was losing its edge, it remained the highest-ranked DC fast-charging community for the fourth yr in a row. The Tesla Vacation spot community was additionally the highest-ranked Stage 2 community.

The largest gaps between Tesla and non-Tesla charging experiences have been cost and ease of charging, in line with J.D. Energy. Tesla lists clients begin charging shortly through automated funds, which examine information confirmed is especially necessary to EV drivers, however different automakers and charging networks have been slower to implement equal automated cost programs like Plug & Cost.

The truth that some house owners of non-Tesla EVs can now entry the Tesla Supercharger community because of automakers’ adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) could also be an element within the enhance in general satisfaction with charging, J.D. Energy says. However consistent reliability gains will probably rely upon assured interoperability between autos and charging stations as effectively.

Gravity EV charging heart in New York Metropolis

And reliability remains to be a difficulty, in line with J.D. Energy. Of EV house owners surveyed for this examine, 19% reported visiting a charging station and never having the ability to cost their car. That is not precisely an enchancment from a earlier J.D. Energy examine from 2023, which discovered that one in five charging attempts fails.

The primary perpetrator was inoperable chargers, which affected 61% of failed charging makes an attempt. Lack of chargers and/or lengthy wait instances (20%) and broken cables or connectors (10%) have been additionally components. EVgo has announced a program of enhancements and higher diagnostics to handle this, however it appears there’s a lengthy option to go.