Tesla Inc‘s TSLA supercharger network trumps other DC fast charger brands in the U.S. on overall customer satisfaction, according to a new study by JD Power.
What Happened: Tesla got 731 points out of 1,000 for overall customer satisfaction in the study involving several DC fast charger brands, making it the only one to rank above the segment average of 664 points.
Electrify America and ChargePoint, meanwhile, received only 559 points and 627 points respectively in the study.
This is the fourth consecutive year of the study by JD Power, conducted in collaboration with PlugShare, and Tesla has ranked the highest among DC fast chargers for all four years.
Rise In Satisfaction: The opening of Tesla’s supercharger network to non-Tesla EV owners is one of the prime reasons for the increase in satisfaction, the study noted.
"Overall, both Tesla and non-Tesla owners find charging their vehicles at Tesla Supercharger facilities is most satisfying," said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. "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.”
However, non-Tesla users are not as happy with the supercharger network as Tesla users. While Tesla drivers enjoy the ease of charging and payment on the network, non-Tesla EV drivers need an adapter to charge on the network and payment is more difficult as compared to Tesla drivers, the study said.
Charging Problems Persist: While the number of public charging stations continues to rise, it hasn’t matched the rate of EV sales, the study noted.
"While this year's study points to hopeful signs that the industry is moving in the right direction, concerning issues remain,” Gruber said. "Too often public charging is not a satisfying experience for EV owners. One issue is sheer availability.”
The growth of DC fast chargers is not in tandem with the pace of EV adoption and even the chargers in service are experiencing instances of cable damage and theft, he added.
Tesla Supercharger Network Growth: “Drive long distance anywhere in America!,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in response to the study.
Tesla, in its second-quarter earnings report, said that the number of supercharger connectors around the globe at the end of the second quarter was 59,596, 24% higher than the corresponding quarter of 2023.
The growth rate, however, has slowed significantly after the company announced layoffs of at least 10% of its global workforce in April. The layoffs impacted 500 members of the supercharging team. Tesla Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure Rebecca Tinucci also left the company.
The number of superchargers grew only 3.5% from the end of the first quarter to the second, significantly lower than the quarter-on-quarter growth of 7.4% in the number of superchargers recorded through the fourth quarter of 2023.
The company, however, is looking to invest $500 million into expanding the network this year, Musk said as long back as May.
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