America is steadily switching to electricity for its driving fuel. But the early days of EV ownership are filled with bugs and small frustrations. Even the aspects of the experience that promise to be easy aren’t always easy at first. When J.D. Power analysts studied the experience of using public EV chargers, they found drivers frustrated with defective chargers and balky payment apps. More than 20% of public charging attempts last year ended in failure, analysts found.
But that’s OK because public charging is rare, right? The promise of electric cars includes an easy, cheap refuel at home every night while you sleep. That’s not working out well yet, either. J.D. Power’s Electric Vehicle Experience Home Charging Study finds EV owners growing less satisfied with the experience of plugging in at home. See: How much does it cost to charge an electric car? We do the mathMost participants own a home charger J.D. Power analysts surveyed 13,860 owners of 2017-2023 model-year electric cars and plug-in hybrids (cars that use an electric powertrain for shorter trips and a gasoline engine for longer rides). The study was co-sponsored by PlugShare, a company that tracks data about EV chargers and consults with automakers and electric utilities. Learn more: What is EV, BEV, HEV, PHEV? Here’s your guide to types of electric cars Researchers found that 68% of EV owners had access to a Level 2 charger at home (a dedicated charger faster than a conventional wall …