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Tesla Superchargers provide the highest level of customer satisfaction, well ahead of the competition. The opening of the manufacturer's charging network in the US to other EVs should improve the overall satisfaction of all EV owners, and encourage wider adoption of electric vehicles.

J.D. Power, a data analytics and consumer research company, recently published study results. The 2023 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public showed that customer satisfaction with charging networks in the US continues to decline. Despite an increase in the number of public charging stations in the country, Level 2 public charging customer satisfaction has dropped to 617 (on a 1,000-point scale), down 16 points from a year ago. Satisfaction with DC fast chargers dropped even further, by 20 points to 654.

“The declining customer satisfaction scores for public charging should be concerning to automakers and, more broadly, to public charging stakeholders,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. “The availability of public charging stations is still a critical obstacle, but it isn't the only one. EV owners continue to have issues with many aspects of public charging, as the cost and speed of charging and the availability of things to do while waiting for their vehicle to charge are the least satisfying aspects. At the same time, the reliability of public chargers continues to be a problem. The situation is stuck at a level where one of every five visits ends without charging, the majority of which are due to station outages.”

However, among all, Tesla stands out again. Its Supercharger network is a clear winner, showing its reliability. The Tesla Supercharger network scored 739 points. The value of the network is also confirmed by the fact that outside of it, the satisfaction of Tesla car owners using other networks drops by an impressive 189 points, to 550.

“With greater adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) pioneered by Tesla, it may provide a boost in fast-charging satisfaction among owners of EVs from other brands as they begin to use Tesla’s Supercharger stations,” Gruber said. “We’re monitoring whether the use of Tesla Superchargers by non-Tesla owners will affect satisfaction, but the move does help address charger scarcity and offer access to industry-leading reliable chargers.”

The Tesla Supercharger network ranked first among DC fast chargers for the third year in a row. It is the only DC fast charger brand with a rating above the segment average (654). The closest Tesla competitor, ChargingPoint, has 606 points, an impressive 133 less. In third place is EVgo with 569 points. Fourth is Electricity America with 538 points.

The study, now in its third year, measures the satisfaction of electric vehicle owners with operators of public charging points: Level 2 charging stations and DC fast charging stations. Satisfaction is measured across 10 factors (in order of importance): ease of charging; speed of charging; physical condition of charging station; availability of chargers; convenience of this location; things to do while charging; how safe you feel at this location; ease of finding this location; cost of charging; and ease of payment.

© 2023, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.

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