Electric vehicle (EV) owners are happier with their cars this year than they were last year, according to a new study from J.D. Power. EV owner satisfaction declined in 2024 but has rebounded in 2025.
The news comes as EV sales continue to climb. Americans bought a record 1.3 million EVs in 2024. Sales of most cars slowed in January (as they usually do), but EVs made up a record 9.1% of all new cars sold last month.
About the Study
Working with the charging app PlugShare, J.D. Power researchers surveyed 6,164 owners of 2024 and 2025 model-year EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). They asked about owner satisfaction with 10 factors: accuracy of stated battery range; availability of public charging stations; battery range; cost of ownership; driving enjoyment; ease of charging at home; interior and exterior styling; safety and technology features; service experience; and vehicle quality and reliability.
Mainstream EVs Outperform Luxury Models
Notably, owners of lower-priced EVs are happier with their cars than those who bought a luxury EV. Among the 10 EVs with the highest owner satisfaction rates, seven come from non-luxury brands.
This may be due to complexity. Luxury cars are loaded with more high-tech features, which introduces more possible failures.
Most Would Buy Another EV
Ninety-four percent of EV owners told researchers they are likely to buy an EV for their next vehicle. Only 12% would even consider replacing their EV with a gas-powered car.
“With five years of conducting this study and surveying thousands of EV owners, it’s apparent that once consumers enter the EV fold, they’re highly likely to remain committed to the technology,” says Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power.
Public Charging Is Improving
Most EV owners do most of their charging at home. They only need to access public chargers when traveling further than their EV’s range in a single day — a rare event for most. But public charging infrastructure can be frustrating when they do need it.
That situation is getting better, J.D. Power says, though it still needs work. Among mainstream EV owners, “satisfaction is up 86 points year over year,” the researchers write, now 396 on a 1,000-point scale. Owners of luxury EVs were more satisfied, scoring 551.
What’s improving? Some of the credit goes to Tesla, as it slowly opens its massive Supercharger network for use by owners of all EVs. Part goes to the steady growth of non-Tesla networks. The federal government has paused funding for new EV chargers, but most public chargers are built without federal funding.
Owner Satisfaction by Model
J.D. Power did not have enough data to publish satisfaction scores for every EV on the market. Instead, it ranked the top performers in two categories: mainstream and luxury.