The latest Electric Vehicle Experience Ownership Study by J.D. Power has brought good news for BMW, with its i4 ranking highest overall in the premium category, while Mini’s Cooper Electric took the top spot in the mass-market sector.
The study, now in its fourth year, focuses on an EV driver’s first year of ownership and evaluates factors such as accuracy of state range, cost of ownership, driving enjoyment, quality and reliability, interior and exterior styling, and the availability of public charging stations.
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Among other premium EVs, Rivian’s R1T and R1S, as well as Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, also scored above average. However, Audi’s Q4 e-tron ranked at the bottom of the table. In the mass-market segment, the Ford Mustang Mach-E closely competed with the Mini Cooper Electric, while the new Hyundai Ioniq 6 also performed well. Unfortunately, the Nissan Leaf, one of the pioneering EVs, did not fare as well in the rankings.
A significant finding from the study was the dissatisfaction among respondents regarding the availability of public charging stations, which was even more pronounced compared to last year’s study.
See also: Electric Vehicle Customers More Satisfied as Prices Stabilize, J.D. Power Study Reveals
Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power, highlighted the importance of addressing this issue: “For EVs to reach their full potential, this issue needs to be resolved.”
Despite the growing popularity of EVs, the study found that 39% of respondents who were driving their first EV expressed interest in buying a hybrid or combustion-powered car next time. However, among those on their second or third BEV, the majority expressed a preference for sticking with a pure EV.
