Once again, consumer body JD Power has asked, and again this year, drivers have answered which electric cars they think are the worst.
A new survey among electric car owners reveals the electric cars that are perceived as the least worst of the worst.
The survey, conducted by consumer agency JD Power in the US, has collected data from owners of cheaper and more expensive electric cars to map customer satisfaction.
The results show that the Volkswagen ID.4 is at the bottom of the list when it comes to cheaper electric cars.
Among the more expensive electric cars, the BMW iX ranks at the top with 790 points on a scale from 0 to 1000.
The BMW i4 follows closely with 783 points, and the Polestar achieves 767 points. The close ranking shows that there is not much difference in satisfaction among premium electric cars.
For cheaper electric cars, customer satisfaction is generally lower compared to more expensive ones. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 tops the list ahead of the Kia EV6. This is where the Volkswagen ID.4 comes in at rock bottom.
Interestingly, it is especially among the more expensive electric cars that quality problems are dragging down. The study shows that cheaper electric cars often score higher in quality measurements. In fact, seven out of the ten cars with the fewest problems in the study are the cheaper cars.
Something else that affects customer satisfaction is the lack of information for first-time buyers of electric cars.
Many owners report that they do not receive sufficient guidance on the use and maintenance of their electric vehicle. According to JD Power, only 12 percent have received sufficient information about the total cost of ownership.
Key points of the study
The study highlights several key points. First, it can improve the ownership experience if drivers feel well informed about owning an electric car.
Although 69 percent of first-time buyers receive some form of vehicle inspection when they take delivery of their cars, many drivers complain about not knowing enough about the costs associated with electric cars.
The cheaper electric cars perform better than the more expensive ones when it comes to quality. Seven out of the ten electric cars with the fewest problems are among the 'cheaper' electric cars.
More expensive plug-in hybrids are now attracting more drivers than before. Owners of both electric cars and plug-in hybrids are generally satisfied with their cars.
Access to charging stations has improved for electric car owners. Although owners of more expensive electric cars remain the most satisfied, owners of cheaper electric cars have also become more satisfied since they were last surveyed in 2024.
This is partly because Tesla has opened its network of Supercharger charging stations to even more car brands. Read more about it here .
Electric car owners are generally very loyal, but not necessarily brand-specific. 94 percent of electric car owners would consider buying an electric car again, while only 12 percent would consider switching to a car with a combustion engine.
