Tesla Isn’t Just Dominating the EV Market in Car Sales
Regarding EV sales in today’s market, Tesla still leads the rest of the pack. According to a recent survey by J.D. Power, that’s not the only thing Tesla has the lead on. The survey revealed that Tesla currently offers the most satisfying charging experience for current EV owners.
The study also revealed that even with more public charging stations than ever before available, consumer satisfaction with Level 2 charging dropped in 2022. While this is good for Tesla, what does it mean for EV owners moving forward?
The survey revealed some surprising things
J.D. Power recently published the results of a new charging experience survey. The survey compared the satisfaction level of EV charging across different charging station brands. Overall, the results were surprising.
While the overall availability of public charging stations substantially increased in the last year, the survey showed that overall satisfaction went down, according to Electrek. The availability of charging stations is one of the biggest challenges facing charging networks.
The survey measured the satisfaction of EV owners pertaining to Level 2 charging and faster DC charging. EV owners were asked about 10 factors, including charging cost and ease of payment, charging speed, ease of finding the location and its convenience, location safety, charger availability, the physical condition of the charging station, and availability of things to do while charging.
Still, Level 2 charging consumer satisfaction decreased from 643 in 2021 to 633 in 2022 on a 1,000-point scale. Consumer satisfaction with faster DC charging stayed at 674. With no forward progress, EVs have gained no ground in convincing consumers that charging is easy to find and use. A lack of public charging is the biggest reason consumers steer away from EVs.
The charging network EV owners prefer
The survey results showed the scores per brand, and Tesla easily dominated. Tesla Destination ranked highest among the Level 2 charging stations with a total score of 680, while Tesla Supercharger received a score of 739 for its fast DC charging stations. Additionally, there were a few key takeaways from the survey.
Most EV owners were satisfied with how easily consumers find the charging process. With scores of 699 and above, the survey revealed that most EV owners know how each type of charger works. The other aspects didn’t fare as well. For example, the satisfaction score of charging costs was in the 400s.
Charging station operability and maintenance was essential to owners. While owners were OK with the increasing number of charging stations and could easily find them, the care of the stations left something to be desired. Tesla is known for the maintenance of its stations, which helps explain its top ranking.
Tesla is leading the way
Tesla is not only leading the EV market in sales but also in infrastructure development, which is an impressive achievement. Tesla Destination only has a slim lead over its closest competitor. Tesla Supercharger also leads among DC chargers and is the only brand to rank above the industry average.
The focus of charging stations, just like gas stations, is convenience. Brent Gruber, the executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power, explained that only a few EVs can currently use the fastest charging speeds. “And no matter how fast their vehicle charges, EV owners still indicate they need more options for things to do during each charging session to enhance convenience and fill the down time,” he said.
Many Tesla charging stations are conveniently placed near restaurants and shopping venues. While waiting, Tesla owners can also watch movies and shows on streaming services, surf the internet, and play games on their infotainment systems.
To further press its advantage, Tesla has opened some of its Supercharger stations to non-Tesla EV owners, according to Electrek. This will make the brand a strong competitor for Chargepoint, Electrify America, EVgo, and more.
