ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Fuel prices are on the rise for both combustible engine autos and those powered by electricity. But home charging has become a disappointing experience for many EV drivers, reports Business Insider.
A new J.D. Power study of EV owners who use Level 2 home-charging stations found that overall satisfaction in the home-charging experience has declined 12 points since last year. A major factor on owner satisfaction is the rapid rise in electricity prices, the study found.
This could pose a real problem for the emerging EV market, as home charging has often been promoted as the solution to range anxiety. Without a large and convenient public charging infrastructure, daily home charging remains essential to effective EV ownership.
"Whether you're an automaker, dealer or utility company participating in the EV ecosystem, improving the EV owner experience with respect to home charging should be a common goal shared by all," said Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power.
Gruber pointed to several programs designed to ease the cost of EV home charging, including options to schedule charging for the most affordable times of day. But the study discovered that few EV owners are aware of these money-saving tricks, which diminishes the overall experience. Geography also plays a role in overall satisfaction levels regarding EV home charging. In New England, where electricity prices surge at peak hours, home charging satisfaction saw the largest year-over-year decline.
About half of EV owners in the study said they understood their local utility company programs for home charging. "As the EV marketplace continues to grow, brands that help owners take advantage of these offerings will be in a much better position down the road," Gruber said.