J.D. Power Study On Electric Car Chargers

The cost of EV home charging is rising, according to 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study. As an unsurprising result, owner satisfaction with the cost of home charging is down in this year's study that looks at the home charging experience of EV owners. 

J.D. Power says while 86% of typical EV charging is happening at home, (our very own Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds has a Level 2 home charger which he tells you about here), few EV owners are taking advantage of scheduled charging or smart charging programs that can lower costs. One issue is that many owners receive limited education on how to optimize charging.  For instance, J.D. Power says understanding options such as the scheduling capabilities of Level 2 charging stations and EV incentive programs from electric utilities can play an important role in improving convenience, managing costs and enhancing overall satisfaction with the ownership experience.  

“Charging costs for EV owners are climbing, and there are several options out there for managing those costs through utility incentive programs and optimization of charging schedules during off-peak hours, yet only about 20% of owners say they received any kind of education or advice on home charging from their purchasing dealer,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at JD Power. “Automakers, dealers and utility companies all have a role in helping owners understand options like utility incentives, programs and upgrading to Level 2 permanently mounted chargers, which have more advanced options for scheduling charging windows to maximize cost savings. By providing better guidance and support, the EV ecosystem can help more owners save money, make more efficient charging choices and enjoy a more satisfying home charging experience. For manufacturers, maximizing home charging satisfaction is crucial because the data shows that it’s instrumental in influencing future brand loyalty.

In terms of chargers, Level 2 permanently mounted chargers have the most problems but still have the highest satisfaction. According to the study, overall satisfaction among owners of Level 1 portable chargers is 569 (on a 1,000-point scale), down 12 points from a year ago, while the overall satisfaction score for use of Level 2 portable chargers is 710, 4 points lower than a year ago. Owner satisfaction with Level 2 permanently mounted home chargers holds steady at 733.

The following are some key findings of the 2026 index:

• Charging costs climb higher as satisfaction with cost of charging dips lower: The study found that that the average amount of money that owners say they spent on EV home charging in the past 30 days has increased to $63, up $5 from a year ago. As a result, satisfaction with the cost of charging falls to 687, down 11 points from the 2025 study. Owners in New England are subject to the highest average EV charging spend over the past 30 days ($99), resulting in the lowest satisfaction score with the cost of charging (552) among all regions. By contrast, owners in the Mountain region pay the least ($36) and are much more satisfied with the cost of charging (771).
• Scheduled charging boosts satisfaction and helps lower costs: More than one-third (38%) of EV owners say they always schedule charging at home. Satisfaction among these owners averages 734, compared with 706 among those who sometimes schedule charging (16%) and 700 among those who never do so (46%). J.D. Power says scheduled charging can also help reduce costs. For example, among owners who try to charge during off-peak hours, those who always schedule charging spent an average of $65 on charging in the previous 30 days, compared with $71 among those who say they never schedule charging. Researchers suggest that strategically scheduling charging can help EV owners offset some of the cost by taking advantage of variable electricity rates.
• Few EV owners participate in smart charging programs: Smart charging programs are offered by utilities to incentivize EV owners to charge their vehicles during off-peak hours using Wi-Fi-connected chargers and vehicle telematics to optimize the charging experience. J.D. Power says just 12% of the 69% of EV owners aware of these smart charging options say they are enrolled in such programs. Moreover, only half (50%) of EV owners who charge at home say their utility offers variable electricity rates and incentives for charging at different times of day. J.D. Power calls smart charging an important solution for helping EV owners manage charging costs, while providing flexibility for utility providers to balance demand.
• Level 2 permanently mounted chargers experience more problems, but higher satisfaction: While Level 2 permanently mounted home chargers once again have the highest satisfaction scores, they remain the most problematic with 44.2 problems per 100 chargers (PP100), an increase of 5.2 PP100 year over year, according to the study. J.D. Power attributes the higher problem count to the fact that Level 2 permanently mounted chargers are equipped with more advanced features—such as Wi-Fi connectivity, mobile apps and smart charging capabilities that are usually not present in the other charging segments. "While users of more advanced features on Level 2 systems do encounter more problems due to things like Wi-Fi and mobile app connectivity issues, their overall satisfaction levels are so much higher because they are scheduling charge times, monitoring results and engaging more actively in getting the most out of the home charging experience,” said Gruber.

Index Ranking

The study examines the home charging experience of EV owners across all three charger segments. However, only the Level 2 permanently mounted charging station segment is award-eligible this year.

Tesla ranks highest among Level 2 permanently mounted charging stations for a sixth consecutive year, with a score of 771. Emporia (761) ranks second and ClipperCreek (760) ranks third.

1. Tesla
2. Emporia
3. ClipperCreek
4. GRIZZLE E
5. Wallbox
6. Chargepoint
7. JuiceBox

J.D. Power's U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study looks at satisfaction with the critical attributes that affect the total or overall EV home charging experience for both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It measures satisfaction across eight factors (in alphabetical order): charging speed; cord length; cost of charging; ease of use; ease of winding/storing cable; fairness of retail price; reliability; and size of charger. These factors provide a comprehensive assessment of the owner experience and charger performance.

The study now in its sixth year, is driven by a collaboration with PlugShare, an EV driver app maker and research firm. Respondents for the 2026 study include 5,399 owners of 2020-2026 model year BEVs and PHEVs. The study was fielded from November 2025 through February 2026.

Photo: CarPro.