With so many electric vehicles on the market today, and with so many more to come in the next few years, you can count on seeing an increasing number of surveys that look at the EV owner experience.
One good example is the just-released 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Ownership Survey carried out by J.D. Power, which surveyed owners of all-electric vehicle owners to gauge their level of satisfaction.
The survey, which polled 8,122 owners of 23016-2022 all-electric models and PHEVs, identified two winners, one in the mass market category and one in the luxury segment. Congratulations to the Kia Niro EV and the Tesla Model 3, which did a better job of satisfying their owners than any other model.
In the study, out of a total of 1,000 possible points, the Niro EV earned a total of 744 points, a hefty 3 more than the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which came in second. Other ranked models include the Nissan LEAF (708 points), Hyundai Kona EV (692), Volkswagen ID.4 (692) and Chevrolet Bolt (687).
The Tesla Model 3, meanwhile, earned a score of 777, placing it 7 ahead of… another Tesla vehicle, the Model Y, which racked up 770 points. The Model S scored 756 points. Audi's new e-tron racked up 718 points.
The criteria for awarding points - or not - to vehicles were thus: J.D. Power asked owners to rate their model in a bunch of different categories, among them the accuracy of the stated remaining range, availability of public charging stations, total battery life, cost of ownership, driveability, ease of home charging, interior and exterior styling, safety and technology features, service experience and vehicle quality and reliability.
When it comes to electric vehicles in general, J.D. Power says that those who make the leap to this technology are generally very satisfied with their experience. The same is true for those who have already owned an EV and decide to buy another of the same. Hence, the satisfaction index for first-time EV owners responding to the survey is 754 points, and it jumps to 766 points for second-time owners.
And why have some second-time owners not just stuck with their original EV? As you might have guessed, they’re generally after improved range. In fact, in more than 85 percent of cases across the various industry niches, increased range is one of the main reasons behind the acquisition of a new electric vehicle.
And do electric products have flaws, in the eyes of their owners? Yes of course. And what are they? J.D. Power identified three elements arising from its survey: problems with multimedia systems, exterior assembly quality issues and rattles and squeaks.