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To date, Tesla's network of charging stations is the best, which is reflected in the reviews of the owners. This factor is one of the strongest advantages of the company since it is precisely because of this that consumers often prefer buying Tesla vehicles. New research by JD Power confirms the Californian manufacturer has the best charging network in the United States.
While many EV owners charge their vehicles at home, public charging is also an important part of the EV ownership experience. Owners' ability to charge is a key factor in the wider adoption of electric vehicles. In the first JD Power US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study, published August 18, Tesla Destination charging is ranked #1 among tier 2 charging point operators, and the Tesla Supercharger is #1 among DC (direct current) fast chargers.
“Public charging infrastructure is a key component in the overall adoption of electric vehicles by the broad population,” said Brent Gruber, senior director of global automotive at J.D. Power. “Unfortunately, the availability of public charging is the least satisfying aspect of owning an EV. Owners are reasonably happy in situations where public charging is free, doesn’t require a wait and the location offers other things to do—but that represents a best-case scenario. The industry needs to make significant investment in public charging to assure a level of convenience and satisfaction that will lure potentially skeptical consumers to EVs.”
The study was conducted among 6,647 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners between January and June 2021. It measured the satisfaction of electric vehicle owners with two types of public charging station operators: Level 2 charging stations and DC fast-charging stations. Satisfaction was assessed on 10 criteria: ease of charging; speed of charging; cost of charging; ease of payment; ease of finding the location; convenience of the location; things to do while charging; how safe you feel at the location; availability of chargers; and cleanliness of the location.
Tesla Destination ranks highest among Level 2 charging stations with 689 points out of 1,000. Volta with 674 points ranks second and ChargePoint with 660 ranks third. Overall, the industry average is 651 points.
Tesla Supercharger ranks highest among DC fast chargers with 733 points, while the closest competitor, ChargePoint, scored only 659. Electrify America had 644 points and EVgo came in with just 592. Overall, the industry average is 680 points.
© 2021, Eva Fox. All rights reserved.
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Article edited by @SmokeyShorts, you can follow him on Twitter
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
