Perhaps the big news is that Tesla did not win top honors for electric vehicle ownership experience in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Ownership study released Tuesday.
Instead, fresh models from upstart Rivian and BMW-owned Mini Cooper stole the show.
Meanwhile, General Motors and Volkswagen failed to get mentioned in the top tier.
Even a top exec at J.D. Power said he was surprised by the results.
J.D. Power, a prestigious consumer insights company that has provided data-driven industry analysis for half a century, announced the Rivian R1T pickup truck ranks highest overall among electric vehicles and among premium brands for its driving and interior and exterior styling — and Mini Cooper Electric ranks highest among mass market brands.
In its first year of eligibility, the Rivian R1T earned a satisfaction score of 794 (on a 1,000-point scale). Owners noted their satisfaction with the driving and interior and exterior styling.
The Mini Cooper Electric, which starts around $34,000, earned the highest satisfaction score of any EV model in the study’s highest-weighted index factor, quality and reliability.
Behind the numbers
A change in the study’s methodology now focuses on the first year of ownership and scores the following: 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 J.D. Power study is conducted in collaboration with PlugShare, a leading EV driver app maker and research firm.
Brent Gruber, executive director of the EV practice at J.D. Power, told the Detroit Free Press he found it especially interesting that one of the award recipients, the Mini Cooper Electric, delivers a lower battery range — an estimated 114 miles — but owners are willing to overlook that because they really love the styling, the feel when driving and quality of the vehicle.
“The range, as much of a deficit as it may be, is offset by the overall driving experience — areas that create excitement or generate high emotional appeal,” Gruber said.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E scored high marks for style and emotion, too, he said.
Whose opinions are these?
The survey, conducted from August 2022 through December 2022, involved 7,073 owners of 2022-23 model-year battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles. This is the third consecutive year of the survey. The Kia Nero EV compact car ranked highest in the mass market category the first two years. And Tesla ranked highest in the premium market the first two years, with its Model S car and Model Y SUV.
Why no Bolt or F-150 Lightning?
Seeing new brands emerge and surge past established electric vehicles reflects how rapidly the market is changing with new EV buyers, Gruber told the Free Press. “In years past, it was a lot of early adopters, people who had owned EVs previously and were buying again. Now there are more options for consumers.”
The Chevy Bolt and Bolt EUV (electric utility vehicle), which offer satisfying cost of ownership experiences, haven’t quite captured the emotional appeal in this emerging market the way some of the newer products have, Gruber said. And too few people own the Cadillac Lyriq so far to really have an impact on the survey. Still, GM has a lot of interesting products coming and will be one to watch, he said.
Also, while the Rivian and F-150 Lightning are both pickups, the Lightning falls into the mass market segment. In the latest study, its score ranked below average “and just not quite up to par with the other products in the segment for some aspects of the ownership experience,” Gruber said.
“The biggest thing in the study, the biggest surprise, is the rate of change,” Gruber said. “Manufacturers have been getting these products ready for launch and now they’re here. The uniqueness and excitement is resonating with consumers. While the adoption rate is really high on the West Coast, I am really amazed at how quickly it’s all accelerating in places like the South.”
How premium vehicles ranked below average
- Rivian R1T (794)
- Tesla Model 3 car (759)
- Tesla Model Y SUV (754)
- Audi e-tron SUV (735)
- Polestar 2 compact car (724)
The average score for premium electric vehicles was 756 points.
How mass market models ranked
- Mini Cooper Electric (782)
- Kia EV6 SUV (762)
- Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV (742)
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 (738)
- Volkswagen ID.4 (735)
- Kia Niro EV (733)
- F-150 Lightning (723)
- Chevrolet Bolt EUV (716)
- Chevrolet Bolt EV (711)
- Nissan Leaf (698)
The average score for mass market electric vehicles was 730.
Key findings include lame infotainment
- Owners of mass market vehicles cite infotainment as the most problematic category.
- Owners of premium vehicles complain of squeaks and rattles and exterior issues.
- The largest satisfaction gap between these premium and mass market vehicles is access to public charging, with Tesla customers influenced by its large charging network. Premium owners rank their satisfaction with public charging availability at 589 while mass market owners’ satisfaction drops to 341.
- EV truck owners who have used the towing feature have a higher satisfaction rating than those who have not. Range satisfaction is higher among owners who have towed than those who have not.
- In the mass market segment, 68% of first-time owners say they purchased the vehicle expecting lower operating costs and tax incentives. Vehicle performance is the primary motivation for 75% of first-time premium owners.
More:I drove a Ford Mustang Mach-E for 10 days — and it was incredible
More:Ford F-150 Lightning buyer shocked by dealer tactic
More:They’re the 1st owners of Ford F-150 Lightnings: What they’re going to do with them
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard: 313-618-1034 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid