A common question about electric vehicle ownership relates to charging. This is the major difference in owning a battery-powered car compared to a gas-powered car, but according to J.D. Power's recent study, this experience is only getting better.
"Despite continued uncertainty surrounding National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding, the [EV] public charging industry is showing strong signs of resilience and progress," stated J.D. Power's press release. "Non-charging visits at public EV chargers (meaning an owner visited a charger but was unable to charge their vehicle) have hit their lowest level in four years, a clear indicator that reliability and customer experience are steadily improving."
The study showed that Tesla comes out on top. "There are quite a few companies out there, but Tesla has the most expansive charging network, not only in the U.S., but globally," wrote Teslarati. "It also has the most reliable chargers, a fact that was reiterated in this year's J.D. Power study."
Commenters on the Teslarati report confirmed those sentiments.
"100% reliable for me," one said, "Up and down the CA coast."
EVs are successfully competing with top car manufacturers in performance, safety, and, of course, emissions. Making your next car an EV is not only the eco-friendly choice but a decision that saves money year after year, since EVs offer considerable savings on repairs and maintenance relative to gas-powered car ownership.
One notable statistic from the study indicates that consumers feel charging has gotten too expensive. "Satisfaction with cost of charging among users of both Level 2 and DC fast chargers [declined] this year," explained the report. "As the infrastructure market evolves and electricity rates rise, charging prices have increased significantly in some cases, directly affecting the overall EV ownership experience."
Savvy EV owners have uncovered a major cost-saving hack: installing solar panels. Running your EV completely off the sun reduces reliance on the charging grid, which, while improving, still isn't as robust as it needs to be to support the clean-energy transition. Additionally, solar panels can produce more than enough energy to charge vehicles and actually neutralize (or make a profit on) your energy bill.
A good place to start your research is with EnergySage. It delivers quotes for local, vetted installers and can even save you up to $10,000 on the installation process. EnergySage makes it easy to explore many different options to find the perfect setup for your home.
FYI, solar installation can be made more affordable through federal tax credits — but not for long. Congress repealed the solar tax credit, so getting 30% off installation is only available until the end of 2025.
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How much would you pay for a phone that never needs recharging? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
$3K or more 💰 
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