As the electric vehicle market becomes more crowded, car buyers are increasingly relying on the opinions and experiences of recent customers to make informed purchasing decisions. In response, J.D. Power has released its Electric Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Survey, which compiles customer feedback and data to determine the best new electric vehicles to own.
According to the survey, the Rivian R1T and the MINI Cooper Electric emerged as the clear winners, leading the premium and mass market segments, respectively. The Rivian R1T earned the highest score in the premium segment with 794 points, followed closely by the Tesla Model 3 with 759 points and the Tesla Model Y with 754 points. The segment average was 756 points, indicating a highly competitive field. The Audi e-tron and the Polestar 2 also ranked in the top five.
In the mass market segment, the MINI Cooper Electric took the lead with 782 points, followed by the Kia EV6 with 762 points. The Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and Volkswagen ID.4 rounded out the top five contenders.
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While vehicle specifications and professional reviews are important factors in the car-buying process, J.D. Power’s survey highlights the importance of considering the experiences and opinions of other customers when choosing an electric vehicle. With the Rivian R1T and the MINI Cooper Electric taking the lead in customer satisfaction, they are worth considering for anyone in the market for a new electric vehicle.
Last year’s winners, the Tesla Model 3 and Kia Niro EV, have had dramatically different outcomes this year. While the Model 3 remains a strong contender for the top spot in the premium segment, the Niro EV has fallen to sixth place, just above the industry average.
The study focused on ten key factors that are critical to EV owners, including accuracy of battery range, availability of public charging, cost of ownership, driving enjoyment, ease of charging at home, interior and exterior styling, safety and technology features, service experience, vehicle quality, and reliability.
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Not surprisingly, premium EV owners reported a far better charging experience than mass-market EV owners, likely due to Tesla’s Supercharging Network. However, it’s worth noting that a slightly larger proportion of mass-market owners were first-time EV buyers. In fact, 84% of all respondents were first-time EV owners, a record high for the survey.
The study also found that there were significant differences in the top concerns of mass-market and premium segment owners. Infotainment was the biggest annoyance for mass-market EV owners, while general build quality and “creaks and rattles” were top concerns for the premium segment.
As EVs become more popular with the general public, the issues highlighted in this study will receive greater attention, putting pressure on automakers to improve in these critical areas. However, the vast majority of owners in the survey reported a fantastic ownership experience, indicating that the future of EV ownership looks incredibly promising.
