The JD Power 2023 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study is out, and change is at the top. With the adoption of electric vehicles growing especially in the US over the past two years, the third year of the EVX study focuses on first-time EV buyers. Those two factors encouraged change at the top of both the premium and mass-market segments. Among premium EVs, the Rivian R1T pickup won overall with a satisfaction score of 794 out of 1,000 in its first year of eligibility. The Tesla Model 3 is in second place with 759 points. Tesla won the top two premium spots in the study for 2021 and 2022.
The average score in the premium segment was 756. The Tesla Model Y (754), Audi e-tron (735), and Polestar 2 (724) filled out the list of five eligible models this year.
Among the ten qualifying mass-market vehicles, the Mini Cooper Electric took the overall victory, scoring a 782. The Kia EV6 finished second with 762 points, placing Kia in the top two; The Kia Niro EV won the mass-market segment in the last two years. Ford Mustang Mach-E (742), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (738), and Volkswagen ID.4 (735) rounded out the top five, with the Niro EV (733) taking the sixth spot. All 730’s segments were above average. Four models that fell below the segment average were the Ford F-150 Lightning (723), the Chevrolet Bolt EUV (716), the Chevrolet Bolt (711), and the Nissan Leaf (698).
How are the scores calculated? JD Power worked with EV app maker and research firm PlugShare to obtain owner responses in ten areas: accuracy of stated battery range; availability of public charging stations; battery range; Cost of ownership; driving pleasure; Ease of charging at home; interior and exterior styling; security and technology features; service experience; and vehicle quality and reliability.
“Recent vehicle launches from both new brands and traditional automakers have had a profound impact on what factors are most important in the ownership experience,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power. Today’s EV owners are looking for quality. Have been.” Reliability, Driving Pleasure, Safety and Technology Features.”
The Mini, in fact, scored the highest of any premium and mass-market EV in the study’s highest weighted index factors, quality and reliability. And in a surprising finding regarding electric pickups, owners who towed were more satisfied about their ownership experience than owners who didn’t tow.
Mass-market EV owners have the same primary complaint as ICE vehicle drivers: infotainment. What annoys premium EV owners the most are the squeaks and rattles. And there’s a big satisfaction gap when it comes to public charging, with premium EV owners returning 589 satisfaction scores, mass-market owners returning 341 scores.
