Public EV charging study finds ‘signs of resilience and progress’

Broken chargers and other complaints have been common in the early days of US EV adoption. But the public charging sector is showing “strong signs of resilience and progress,” according to JD Power’s 2025 US Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study.

Instances of drivers leaving public charging stations because they encountered a problem reached “their lowest level in four years,” according to the study, “a clear indicator that reliability and customer experience are steadily improving.”

“This milestone reflects the industry’s collective commitment to advancing public charging infrastructure even in the face of federal funding delays and shifting political landscapes,” a JD Power news release reported this week.

The company reported a satisfaction score of 654 out of 1,000 for DC fast chargers, down 10 points YoY.

• Satisfaction with Level 2 charging fell by seven points to 607.
• The study also found a “notable improvement in charging reliability…with only 14% of all EV owners saying they visited a charger without successfully charging their vehicle,” down five percentage points YoY.

The study follows a pause earlier this year of funding from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program, which made $5 billion in federal grants available for states to install fast chargers. The freeze prompted some states and charging companies to halt work on projects.

The Department of Transportation on Aug. 11 released updated guidance for the program and indicated that it plans to release the funding.

“With or without the federal funding, NEVI guidelines have made their mark by establishing a playbook for industry success,” Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at JD Power, said in a statement. “While overall satisfaction scores decline this year, our data shows clear improvement in the reliability and success of public charging—a promising sign of progress for the industry.”