Public satisfaction with electric vehicle chargers increased for the second quarter in a row, signaling a shift for a technology that has hindered EV sales growth and faced political scrutiny, according to a new survey from data firm J.D. Power.
The company said that Tesla’s decision to allow access to its Supercharger network by non-Tesla owners earlier this year was a big factor in altering public satisfaction overall. The report also found that drivers are more satisfied this year with the speed and availability of EV fast chargers, but have less patience for slower chargers than they did in 2023.
“We’re seeing key areas improve that really matter to consumers,” said Brent Gruber, the executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. “There’s been a lot of consistency in some of the challenges with public charging,” but there’s “reason for optimism.”
Even so, the report showed many drivers face ongoing technical challenges with charging stations. Almost a quarter of EV drivers reported in the first six months of the year that a public charger was unable to power up their vehicle.
