J.D. Power is sharing the results of its 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study. It finds that while there's been significant volatility in the EV during the past year, owner sentiment has never been stronger. In fact overall satisfaction among current battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners is at its highest level since the study’s inception in 2021. Notably, J.D. Power says nearly all owners of new BEVs (96%) say they would consider purchasing or leasing another BEV for their next vehicle.
“EV market share has declined sharply following the discontinuation of the federal tax credit program in September 2025, but that dip belies steadily growing customer satisfaction among owners of new EVs,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at JD Power. “Improvements in battery technology, charging infrastructure and overall vehicle performance have driven customer satisfaction to its highest level ever. What’s more, the vast majority of current EV owners say they will consider purchasing another EV for their next vehicle, regardless of whether they benefited from the now-expired federal tax credit.”
Following are some key findings of the 2026 study as shared in its press release:
- Public charging satisfaction climbs to new highs: The new J.D. Power research found that the availability of public charging is by far the most improved index factor in both premium and mass market BEV segments. Satisfaction among premium BEV owners is 652 (on a 1,000-point scale) and 511 among mass market owners, up 101 and 115 points, respectively, year over year. Researchers say the continued growth of publicly available chargers and opening of the Tesla Supercharger network have notably improved satisfaction among mass market BEV owners during the past several years. J.D Power also adds that satisfaction among Tesla owners is rebounding as they adapt to the expanded access of the charging network.
- Premium BEVs see more pronounced quality improvements: While total problems experienced by owners improves among both premium and mass market BEVs, the new study found that the premium segment sees an improvement of 15.9 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) year over year to 75.0 PP100, marking the best quality performance for the segment in the current iteration of the study. J.D. Power credits this to improvements in squeaks/rattles inside the vehicle, as well as fewer problems with driver assistance and excessive noises from outside the vehicle. By comparison, the study found that total problems among mass market BEVs is 92.2 PP100.
- BEVs continue to have higher satisfaction than plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs): Overall satisfaction continues to be higher among BEV owners in both the premium (786) and mass market (727) segments versus comparable PHEV owners, particularly when it comes to satisfaction with the cost of ownership. Premium BEVs score 114 points higher than premium PHEVs in this area, while mass market BEVs outperform their PHEV counterparts by 117 points. The takeaway here is that although PHEVs benefit from improved battery performance compared with traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, they still carry the maintenance requirements of an internal combustion engine. These are cost and service needs that all-electric vehicles are able to avoid entirely.
STUDY RANKINGS
As for which BEV makers and models rank highest:
EV Brand Rankings
Tesla Model 3 ranks highest overall and highest in the premium BEV segment with a score of 804. Tesla Model Y (797) ranks second and BMW i4(795) ranks third.
Ford Mustang Mach-E ranks highest in the mass market BEV segment with a score of 760. Hyundai IONIQ 6 (748) ranks second and Kia EV9 (745) ranks third.
EV Model Rankings
There are nine award-eligible models in the premium segment and nine award-eligible models in the mass market segment. Satisfaction among owners of premium BEVs averages 786, up from 756 last year, while satisfaction among owners of mass market BEVs averages 727, versus 725 in 2025.
Premium EV Segment
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Tesla Model 3
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Tesla Model Y
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BMW i4
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BMW iX
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Cadillac Optiq
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Rivian R1S
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Lucid Air
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Rivian R1T
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Audi Q6 etron
Mass Market Segment
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Hyunda Ioniq 6
- Kia EV9
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Kia EV6
- Ford F-150 Lightning
- Chevrolet Equinox EV
- Chevrolet Blazer EV
- Honda Prologue
No models were award-eligible in the PHEV segments; however, the average overall owner satisfaction score for premium PHEVs is 756, up from 741 in 2025 and the average overall satisfaction score for mass market PHEVs is 658, up from 632 last year.
About the Study
The U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study, now in its sixth year, is designed to get owner feedback on the crucial first year of ownership. The overall EVX Ownership Index score is gauged by EV owner satisfaction in 10 areas (in alphabetical order): accuracy of stated battery range; availability of public charging stations; battery range; cost of ownership; driving enjoyment; ease of charging at home; interior and exterior styling; safety and technology features; service experience; and vehicle quality and reliability.
The study is conducted in collaboration with PlugShare, the leading EV driver app maker and research firm. J.D. Power says its study sets the standard for benchmarking satisfaction with the critical attributes that affect the total or overall EV ownership experience for both BEV and PHEV vehicles. 2026 survey respondents include 5,741 owners of 2025 and 2026 model-year BEVs and PHEVs. The study was fielded from August through December 2025.
For more information about the U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study, click here.
