Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- 😄 The Tesla Supercharger Network achieved a score of 739 out of 1,000 points in J.D. Power’s EV public charging study.
- 🚗 The Supercharger Network is now open to non-Tesla electric vehicles, potentially driving mainstream EV adoption.
- 🚙 Other automakers like Ford and General Motors have reached agreements to access the Supercharger Network.
- 🌐 Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) is being adopted by other automakers, potentially becoming the regional charging standard.
- ⚡️ Tesla Supercharger outperformed competitors in the study, with 739 points, compared to 636, 569, and 538 points for ChargePoint, EVgo, and Electrify America, respectively.
- 😕 Customer satisfaction with public Level 2 charging solutions has decreased, while Tesla’s NACS adoption might boost overall satisfaction.
- 🌟 Brent Gruber from J.D. Power suggests Tesla’s Supercharger stations could increase satisfaction for non-Tesla EV owners.
The Tesla Supercharger Network stands as a remarkable achievement for the electric vehicle manufacturer. Now, as it becomes accessible to non-Tesla EVs, this high-speed charging system appears poised to significantly drive widespread EV adoption.
In May, established automaker Ford announced a collaboration with Tesla to grant its electric vehicles access to the Supercharger Network. This initiative gained traction, with other manufacturers such as General Motors and newer players like Rivian joining Tesla’s expanding “NACS coalition.”
Given the growing adoption of Tesla’s North American Charging Standard by multiple automakers, it’s plausible that the Supercharger Network could emerge as the region’s charging standard. This transition could prove advantageous for EV owners, aligning with the findings of J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study.
Among the DC fast chargers that were considered in the study, the Tesla Supercharger dominated. The rapid charging network achieved a score of 739 out of 1,000 possible points, putting it far ahead of competitors like ChargePoint, EVgo, and Electrify America, which received 636 points, 569 points, and 538 points, respectively.
Interestingly enough, J.D. Power’s study also noted that customer satisfaction with public Level 2 charging solutions has declined to an overall 617 points. Overall scores among DC fast chargers also saw a decline compared to a year ago. As noted in a Ford Authority report, however, experts believe that the shift to Tesla’s NACS, and access to the Supercharger Network, would likely increase overall customer satisfaction for DC fast chargers.
Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power, issued a statement about the matter.
“With greater adoption of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) pioneered by Tesla, it may provide a boost in fast-charging satisfaction among owners of EVs from other brands as they begin to use Tesla’s Supercharger stations.
“We’re monitoring whether the use of Tesla Superchargers by non-Tesla owners will affect satisfaction, but the move does help address charger scarcity and offer access to industry-leading reliable chargers. It’s just too early to tell if it can reach the satisfaction levels of Tesla owners who are already part of that fully integrated Tesla ecosystem,” Gruber said.
