Tesla continues to dominate when it comes to the charging experience, with both its Supercharger and Destination networks ranking highest in their respective segments in the latest J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study.
According to the study results, Tesla’s Supercharger network secured the top spot for the fourth consecutive year, scoring 731 out of 1,000 points. This achievement is even more significant considering the influx of non-Tesla EV owners now accessing the Supercharger network, thanks to the automaker’s decision to open up its charging stations.
In fact, JD Power says this actually improved Tesla’s scores, and even with this increased usage, Tesla Superchargers continue to outperform competitors like ChargePoint, which ranked a distant second with 627 points. The industry average came in at 664 points.
The key factors behind Tesla’s continued dominance in the charging experience are ease of payment and ease of charging. Tesla’s system allows owners to simply plug in their vehicles and begin charging immediately, without the need for additional steps or third-party apps.
For non-Tesla owners, however, the experience is slightly less seamless, as they must use an adapter and navigate additional steps, resulting in a satisfaction score of 706—still significantly higher than the average for other DC fast chargers.
“Overall, both Tesla and non-Tesla owners find charging their vehicles at Tesla Supercharger facilities is most satisfying. Non-Tesla owners—like those with EVs from Ford or Rivian who now have access to the Supercharger network—appreciate the ability to charge at the broad network of Tesla chargers that was previously unavailable to them,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power.
Not to be outdone, Tesla’s Destination network, which provides Level 2 charging at popular destinations such as hotels and restaurants, also topped its segment with a score of 658. Volta and ChargePoint followed behind in the rankings, but again with a noticeable gap.
The J.D. Power study also highlighted an interesting trend. While satisfaction with DC fast charging has improved, with a 10-point increase to 664, satisfaction with Level 2 charging has slightly declined to 614. This suggests that while fast charging is becoming more efficient and widely appreciated, slower Level 2 chargers are struggling to keep pace with customer expectations, particularly in terms of charging speed.
The study also found that a significant 19% of EV owners reported visiting a charging station only to find it inoperable. Other issues such as charger availability, long wait times, and equipment damage were also found to consistent issues.
