Charging Your EV Is a Bit Less Frustrating in 2025: JD Power Report

      Tesla

      Get The Drive’s daily newsletter

      The latest car news, reviews, and features.

      If you're just a casual observer of the automotive industry, you might think that electric vehicles (and everything related) are on the brink of extinction. However, despite facing genuine financial challenges, progress continues. According to J.D. Power, the availability and reliability of chargers in America are steadily improving—thanks largely to Tesla.

      While the administration and Congress quickly reduced funding for National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) programs, local and state governments have stepped in to alleviate those funding gaps, ensuring few are completely inactive. Customers' primary concerns in 2025 were about high charging costs and problems with payment processes, which led to a 10-point decline in overall satisfaction. Nevertheless, customers noted significant enhancements in charger reliability, as fewer users reported failing to charge upon reaching a station.

      “In light of the absence of NEVI funding, the industry is witnessing a unified effort among different stakeholders in the EV ecosystem—especially from car manufacturers and charging networks—to enhance the public charging experience,” said J.D. Power EV expert Brent Gruber in the report.

      “Regardless of the federal funding's presence, NEVI guidelines have established a framework for industry success,” Gruber added. “Although overall satisfaction scores have decreased this year, our data indicates clear improvements in the reliability and success of public charging—a promising sign for the industry. J.D. Power also monitors public charging performance nationwide, evaluating failed charging attempts and availability, while providing critical insights into areas where customer experiences are improving and where challenges still exist.”

      Regardless of opinions about the company and its present leadership, Tesla’s Supercharger network remains the benchmark for fast-charging experiences in the United States. This advantage arises not from any technological or service superiority but rather from being designed to serve a single manufacturer. Tesla and Red E were the only two to surpass the industry average.

      “Tesla’s Supercharger network continues to dominate the DC fast charger (DCFC) market in customer satisfaction with a score of 709, despite a 22-point drop from last year. Meanwhile, networks operated by non-Tesla automakers—including the Mercedes-Benz Charging Network, Rivian Adventure Network, and Ford Charge—achieved a collective satisfaction score of 709, matching Tesla,” the report stated. “These networks were not considered for ranking in this year's study due to their limited presence, but initial performance indicates that manufacturers are learning valuable lessons from Tesla’s brand-level ecosystem.”

      Charging networks designed for use by nearly any EV were consistently rated the lowest; Blink ranked at the bottom, followed by EVgo and Electrify America in both fast-charging and level 2 setups.

      Have a news tip? Let us know at [email protected].