Tesla, Volta is E.V. owners' top picks for charging away from home, J.D. Power finds

August 19, 2021: -Tesla, Volta, and ChargePoint stations topped the list in J.D. Power’s first-ever survey on charging options of electric vehicles for U.S. drivers of plug-in hybrids and battery-electrics far from home.

The global analytics company’s 2021 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study surveyed 6,647 owners of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles till June from the beginning of the year. It said public charging availability in the U.S. varies regionally but is one of the minor satisfying aspects of owning an electric car.

Customers were asked about ease of use, charging speed, cost of charging, ease of payment, how easy it was to locate a charging station, the convenience and cleanliness of each location, things to do while charging, how safe they felt at a given public charging location, and whether or not chargers were available when needed.

The survey found that U.S. E.V. owners are frustrated by a lack of options. The survey found that where they do have access to public charging stations, E.V. owners were most commonly vexed by out-of-service chargers and long lines.

“Owners are happy in situations where public charging is free, no waiting required, and the location offers other things to do, but that represents a best-case scenario,” J.D. Power’s Brent Gruber said.

“The industry needs to make a significant investment in public charging to assure a level of convenience and satisfaction that will lure potentially skeptical consumers to E.V.s,” Gruber added.

Tesla’s level 2 Destination charging stations and D.C. fast-charging Superchargers ranked highest among electric vehicle owners in terms of overall satisfaction.

Tesla intends to open up all of its charging stations for use by owners of other electric vehicle brands. But the company has not disclosed how many of those would be opened in the U.S. and by what date, said Ceo Elon Musk.

In the slower category of level 2 chargers, Volta charging stations ranked second behind Tesla in the survey.

Volta chargers are accessible to all significant plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicle types in the U.S. The company installs its chargers at shopping centers and other commercial and tourist destinations. Each one features a digital display for advertising and brand campaigns. Because they are ad-supported, Volta generally provides free charging for drivers while they park and shop.

According to data compiled by the Department of Energy, the U.S. has 43,514 electric vehicle charging locations comprised of 105,671 individual D.C. fast-charging and slower, level-2 charging outlets.

ChargePoint ranked second behind Tesla among D.C. fast-charging options on the road and third behind Volta’s free charging service for level 2 charging.