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Reliability of Public EV Charging Infrastructure Improving, J.D. Power Finds

2025 Honda Prologue | Manufacturer image

Key Points:

Though overall satisfaction scores for public chargers are declining, electric-vehicle charger reliability is improving.
Tesla ranks the highest for satisfaction for both Level 2 and DC fast-charging networks, but other charging networks are starting to catch up.
Though payments, the cost of charging and ease of use negatively impact EV owners’ overall satisfaction of public chargers, new EV owners are more satisfied with public charging infrastructure than EV veterans.

Public charging infrastructure may finally be catching up to the rapid growth in EV sales. That’s one conclusion of the 2025 J.D. Power U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study, which found the lowest incidence of failed charging visits so far this year since the first study was conducted in 2021.

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Automotive industry analysts J.D. Power produce the EVX Public Charging Study based on results from surveys sent to owners of EVs and plug-in hybrids, who score their satisfaction with the public-charging experience based on 10 factors, including ease, speed and availability of charging, cost and ease of payment, how easy it is to find the chargers and how safe they feel while juicing up. This year, 7,428 owners responded to the survey, and their ratings were compiled into scores on a 1,000-point scale for seven nationwide charging networks.

Network Rankings

J.D. Power separates survey results for Level 2 and DC fast-charging networks. Rankings for those suppliers are as follows:

Level 2

Tesla Destination: 661
ChargePoint: 628
Shell Recharge: 579
Blink: 557

DC Fast Charging

Tesla Supercharger: 709
Red E: 668
ChargePoint: 619
Electrify America: 601
EVgo: 579
Blink: 501

While Tesla has consistently led the industry in user satisfaction, J.D. Power says other automakers are catching up. Neither Ford Charge, Mercedes-Benz Charging Network nor Rivian Adventure Network have a sufficient footprint in the U.S. to be included in the official results, but offering a peek behind the curtain, the firm says the three collectively scored an identical 709 overall.Mercedes-Benz EV Charger | Manufacturer image

Behind the Overall Scores

Average satisfaction scores are down from the 2024 study, from 664 to 654 for DC fast charging and from 614 to 607 for Level 2 locations. J.D. Power notes that the decline is largely due to factors related to payment and cost of charging. Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at the firm, said in a statement, “While overall satisfaction scores decline this year, our data shows clear improvement in the reliability and success of public charging — a promising sign of progress for the industry.”

In 2021, the first year J.D. Power conducted the EVX Public Charging Study, a mere 13% of EV drivers reported failed public-charging attempts. That figure ballooned to 20% in subsequent years before falling to just 14% in 2025. Owners in the Pacific region reported the highest rate of noncharging visits, with 21% of respondents saying they’d been unable to charge at a public plug and 12% reporting wait times for those chargers. EV drivers in the East South Central region have it best, with only 7% reporting failed charging attempts and just 5% saying they needed to wait, according to the survey.

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Cost Consciousness

EV owners were less happy with the cost of public charging this year than they have been in the past, with satisfaction scores in that category dropping 16 points for both DC fast-charging and Level 2 locations. Gruber suspects this is a natural part of infrastructure expansion.

“In previous years, many DC fast-charging networks kept prices low as they developed their market presence, while manufacturers regularly offered free charging incentives with vehicle purchases,” he said. “However, as the infrastructure market evolves and electricity rates rise, charging prices have increased significantly in some cases, directly affecting the overall EV ownership experience.”

Tesla is partly to blame but deserves credit, too, Gruber notes. “Part of the decrease is due to non-Tesla owners using Tesla Superchargers, which deliver a far less satisfying user experience relative to the costs incurred in comparison to those of Tesla owners.” In other words, Tesla provides a superior charging experience, but non-Tesla drivers may pay more than the brand’s own customers do at its plugs.

That New-Car Bliss

The ‘25 EVX Public Charging Study also found that first-time EV owners generally appreciate public charging more than returning customers. First-time buyers scored public Level 2 charging a 610 overall and DC stations 654, compared to 592 and 648, respectively, for grizzled veterans of the EV scene. J.D. Power posits that this may be due to the fact that “veteran EV owners have higher expectations for technological advancements that aren’t quite being met by current vehicle and charger offerings.”

Gruber cautions that faster doesn’t necessarily mean better, noting the survey suggests charging providers need to focus on factors beyond simple charging speed. “Improving reliability, ease of use and addressing cost concerns are among a multitude of factors at play that must be prioritized to enhance the overall public EV charging experience,” he said.

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