EV Charging Trends: Insights from JD Power Survey

JD Power recently conducted a survey on the current state of EV charging to identify trends and gauge consumer sentiment. The following article below covering the survey highlights some key observations that I point to later in this post.

Before that, here are some additional thoughts that I've been discussing with industry leaders lately:

1. The era of early EV adoption has come to an end.

2. Early adopters, especially non-Tesla owners, have had to endure various public charging issues that non-early adopter won't put up with.

3. The EV charging industry is thus both maturing and going through consolidation. This is partially leading to a slower adoption of EVs in this current period.

4. Looking ahead, within the next 1-2 years, public EV charging is expected to become significantly more reliable (but that might overlap with a slowdown in EV sales/adoption until charging is reliable)—thanks to the transition to NACS, improvements in non-Supercharger station reliability, expanded Supercharger access, and those charging providers who take reliability seriously ultimately winning customers.

5. This progress could trigger the next major wave of EV adoption, marked by a sharp increase in the EV adoption S-curve.

Here is the article and survey summarized (brought to you by ChatGPT):

1. Charging Infrastructure Improvements: Progress in EV charging infrastructure includes Tesla Superchargers opening up to other brands and federal funding becoming available, indicating potential for growth in the system.

2. JD Power Study Findings: According to JD Power’s Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study, overall satisfaction with DC fast charging has improved, but the situation is more complex than it seems.

3. DC Fast Charging Satisfaction: Consumer satisfaction with DC fast charging has increased to 664 out of 1,000 points, with notable improvements in reliability and speed. The opening of Tesla Superchargers to other brands has contributed to this boost.

4. Tesla Supercharging Trends: Although satisfaction with Tesla Supercharging remains high (731 points), there has been a slight decline due to increased overcrowding and the presence of non-Tesla vehicles, which has affected the exclusivity and availability for Tesla owners.

5. Level 2 Charging Decline: Satisfaction with Level 2 charging has decreased to 614 points, primarily due to a lack of focus and investment compared to DC fast charging. This shift has led to worsening satisfaction with Level 2 charging speeds.

6. Impact of Focus Shift: The increased focus on fast charging infrastructure is negatively impacting Level 2 charging, highlighting a need for balanced development across different charging types to improve overall user experience.

Learn more here.