KATHMANDU: Electric vehicle (EV) owner satisfaction in the US has reached its highest level ever, according to the 2026 US Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study by J.D. Power.
The study found that 96 percent of EV owners would consider buying or leasing another electric vehicle for their next purchase. This remains true even without the previously available 7,500 USD federal tax credit.
According to the report, improvements in battery technology, public charging infrastructure, and overall vehicle performance have played a key role in increasing satisfaction levels.
Public charging availability showed the biggest improvement. Many automakers have adopted Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS), allowing access to the Supercharger network. Expansion of other charging networks such as Charge Point, Electrify America, and EVgo has also supported this growth.
On a 1,000-point scale, satisfaction among premium EV owners reached 652, up 101 points from last year. Mass-market EVs scored 511, up 115 points year-on-year.
EVs also scored significantly higher than plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) in both premium and mass-market segments. Lower ownership costs were cited as a major reason.
Top-ranked EV models
Among premium EVs, the Tesla Model 3 ranked highest overall with a score of 804. It was followed by the Tesla Model Y (797) and the BMW i4 (795).
In the mass-market segment, the Ford Mustang Mach-E took first place with 760 points. The Hyundai IONIQ 6 ranked second with 748, while the Kia EV9 secured third with 745.
This marks the sixth year of the JD Power EVX Ownership Study. The 2026 report surveyed 5,741 owners of 2025 and 2026 model-year EVs and PHEVs.
It evaluated 10 key factors, including cost of ownership, battery range accuracy, public charging access, driving experience, home charging convenience, design, safety features, service experience, and overall reliability.
The findings show that EV ownership confidence continues to grow as technology and infrastructure improve.
