Tesla's charging stations crush the competition in new J.D. Power report
Supercharger network keeps Tesla drivers happiest
Tesla's public charging network was integral in getting the brand off the ground a decade ago, and it continues to stay ahead of the pack as more electric vehicles enter the market.
The automaker's destination chargers and high-speed Superchargers were ranked highest in J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study.
The study asked users to rate charging networks on a variety of factors ranging from charging speed and cost to reliability and safety of the locations.
Tesla's 240-volt destination chargers, which take several hours to fully charge a vehicle, scored 680 points out of 1,000, ahead of Volta at 667 and ChargePoint at 637. The industry average was 633, down from 643 in 2021.
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Destination chargers like this ChargePoint location take several hours to fully charge a battery. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Tesla's DC-powered Superchargers, which are capable of recharging a battery to 90% in less than 40 minutes, held an even larger advantage with a score of 739, the only one above the industry average of 674, the same as last year's.
"Public charging continues to provide challenges to overall EV adoption and current EV owners alike," Brent Gruber, executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power, said.
"Not only is the availability of public charging still an obstacle, but EV owners continue to be faced with charging station equipment that is inoperable."
Tesla's Superchargers are strategically located to make long-distance travel easier. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Tesla's chargers only work with its own vehicles but may be opened to those from other brands in the future.
A recent survey by Consumer Reports found that charging logistics was the top reason keeping consumers from considering the purchase of an electric vehicle.
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The U.S. government has committed $5 billion toward the tenfold expansion of the national charging network to 500,000 stalls by 2030.
Electric vehicles at a Tesla Supercharger location at a Hilton hotel in Bozeman, Mont., July 20, 2022. (Louise Johns/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
J.D. Power noted that dissatisfaction with availability and the condition of chargers is highest in California, Oregon and Washington, which have the largest concentration of stations but also the highest density of electric vehicles.
Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota reported the highest level of satisfaction with the availability of public charging, while respondents from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin said theirs are in the best condition.
"Everyone knows that the landscape of gas stations is focused on convenience — readily available, fast fueling and quick convenience items," Gruber said.
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"Although fast charging is seemingly getting faster by the day, to expedite the charging process vehicles will need to accommodate the newest ultra-fast chargers."