Public EV charging is breaking down less often, but drivers are less satisfied than before.
That’s the takeaway from J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study, which found “non-charging visits”, when a driver shows up to a public charger but can’t plug in, at their lowest point in four years.
Only 14% of EV owners reported the problem this year, down five points from 2024.
That’s a real win for reliability, especially amid funding concerns, Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power, said.
“In the absence of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding, the industry is experiencing a concerted effort among various stakeholders in the EV ecosystem—particularly from automakers and charging networks—to improve the public charging experience for customers,” he said.
The catch: Customer satisfaction is down.
By the numbers:
Direct current (DC) fast charging came in at 654 points on a 1,000-point scale, down 10 points YoY.
Level 2 charging came in at 607 points, down 7 points YoY.
And cost was the lowest-rated factor for both charging types, falling 16 points YoY.
One main frustration: Non-Tesla owners now pay more to use Tesla Superchargers and often feel they get less value than Tesla owners.
Plus, pricing is also shifting. In the early days, charging networks kept rates low and OEMs offered free-charging perks with new EVs. Now, with electricity rates climbing and freebies fading, public charging prices have gone up.
“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,” Gruber said. “Faster does not always mean better.”
J.D. Power highlights:
Tesla Supercharger ranked highest for DC fast charging satisfaction for the 5th year, with 709 points, even after a 22-point drop
DC fast charging networks run by Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, and Ford also scored 709 points. J.D. Power grouped them instead of ranking them individually because their networks are still small. However, early results suggest automaker-run networks can match Tesla’s satisfaction when they control both the vehicle and the charging experience.
Independent third-party DC fast chargers, the networks open to all EV brands, averaged 591 points. As explained in the report, these providers face the added challenge of serving a wider mix of vehicles and customers, which can make consistency and reliability harder to maintain.
If we’re talking Level 2 charging, Tesla Destination came in first with 661 points, followed by ChargePoint at 628, according to the study.
Regional findings: Seattle saw the most failed charges at 25%, with Los Angeles close behind at 24%. By comparison, the East South Central region has the lowest failure rate at just 7%
On wait times: San Francisco tops the list for wait times at 18% of visits, with Denver next at 14%. High EV adoption and limited charger availability are likely to blame.
Nationwide, the biggest reason a charge fails (cited 60% of the time) is simple: the charger’s out of service.
Looking at the consumer: First-time owners rate Level 2 charging at 610 points compared to 592 for veterans. On DC fast charging, first-timers give 654 points vs. 648 from veteran EV owners
The gap’s small, but J.D. Power says it comes down to expectations. Beginner EV owners are more likely to be impressed, while veteran EV owners are craving bigger leaps in tech and are more likely to notice when progress slows.
Bottom line: Public charging is breaking down less often, but rising prices and uneven convenience are still dragging satisfaction down. Dealers who set the right expectations and match buyers to networks that actually work in their area can help ensure the ownership experience doesn’t unravel after delivery.
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