However, this year’s EVX study reveals a decline in overall satisfaction with both DC and Level 2 charging.
The growth of electric vehicle adoption across the United States remains steady. However, as the number of zero-emission vehicles rises, the experience of utilizing public charging stations has taken a downturn. The J.D. Power 2023 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study reports this trend.
In comparison to the previous year, satisfaction with DC fast chargers has dropped by 20 points, settling at 654 on a 1,000-point scale. Simultaneously, satisfaction among EV owners using Level 2 charging stations has fallen by 16 points, averaging at 617 points.
The study indicates that electric vehicle users are increasingly discontented with the time required to charge their vehicles. Both Level 2 and DC chargers have experienced declines of 36 and 30 points, respectively.
Reliability of public charging stations is also a concern, as 20 percent of users encountered chargers they couldn’t utilize due to various reasons, from offline chargers to lengthy queues.
Brent Gruber, the Executive Director of the EV division at J.D. Power, expresses his concern regarding the decreasing levels of customer satisfaction related to public charging. This trend should raise alarms not only for automakers but also for all parties involved in the realm of public charging. Although the availability of public charging stations remains a significant hurdle, it’s important to note that it’s not the sole obstacle at play.
Tesla’s Supercharger network has secured the top position in the DC fast charger category for the third consecutive year with 739 points, surpassing the 654-point segment average. ChargePoint ranks second with 606 points, EVgo takes third place with 569 points, and Electrify America follows with 538 points.
Turning to Level 2 Chargers in the J.D. Power 2023 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study, Volta emerges as the highest-rated provider with 665 points. Tesla’s destination charger comes in a close second with 661 points, and ChargePoint secures the third position with 618 points, slightly above the 617-point segment average.
The study examines EV owners’ satisfaction with DC fast chargers and Level 2 charging stations based on 10 factors, including ease and speed of charging, station conditions, charger availability, location convenience, entertainment options during charging, safety, ease of finding the location, cost, and payment convenience.
Collaborating with PlugShare, a leading EV driver app maker and research firm, the 2023 US EVX Public Charging Study surveyed 15,079 battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) owners from January to June 2023.