When JD Power quantified EV owner satisfaction with the public charging experience at Level 2 and DC fast chargers, it found owners unhappy with “charging infrastructure that is inadequate and plagued by non-functional stations.” So while there are more stations than ever, charging bottlenecks have made EV buyers less happy. It’s a similar story with the latest study, the 2023 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study. More homes have Level 2 permanently mounted charging stations and more BEV and PHEV buyers have Level 2 portable stations. Despite the added convenience, the study found owners were less satisfied with the charging experience, with overall satisfaction with permanent home stations dropping from a score of 752 out of 1,000 to 740. The study asks owners on eight aspects of the home charging experience for BEVs and PHEVs using Level 1 (household plugs) and fixed and portable Level 2 chargers: the reasonableness of the charger’s retail price; cord length; charger size; ease of winding/storing cables; charging costs; charging speed; ease of use; and reliability. Scores for overall satisfaction with Level 2 charging declined in all nine national regions. Respondents cited cost as part of the problem, with public utility kWh rates rising along with the prices of everything else. Another problem comes from the charging speed which apparently doesn’t live up to expectations. It seems that many buyers still haven’t explored options that can overcome both pitfalls. One of the report’s key findings is that “only 51% of EV owners say they are aware of utility company programs for charging their vehicles at home, up from 49% a year ago.” As for speed, those who bought a Level 2 charger scored higher in seven of the eight aspects of the study than those who bought a Level 1 charger. As for costs, only 35% of owners always schedule a time to charge their vehicle, while 49% don’t schedule and may miss out on lower rates at non-peak times or local utility programs to reduce costs. “There are programs available today that will help EV owners with startup costs, such as installing or upgrading to a fast Level 2 charger. There are also programs designed to save. EV owners can use their The ongoing costs of charging a vehicle are monetized, such as scheduling charging during the cheapest time of day. However, JD Power sees little awareness and use of these benefits. As the EV marketplace continues to grow, brands that Helping owners take advantage of these opportunities will be in a better position down the road.” Similar to public chargers, Tesla received the highest praise among permanently mounted Level 2 chargers, receiving a score of 790. It is followed by Grizzle-E Charger with 757 points and Emporia Energy at 754 points, all three points above. Segment average 740 points.
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