LIVONIA, Mich., Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As battery electric vehicle (BEV) range improves and public charging infrastructure becomes more commonplace, specific charging pain points such as charge time and cost as well as the inconvenience of installing home charging have emerged as significant obstacles to BEV adoption. Overcoming these barriers can help automakers increase brand consideration and charge point operators (CPOs) build brand loyalty to increase utilization.
These findings are uncovered in the 2024 Charging Experience DeepDive from EVForward®, the largest, most comprehensive study of the next generation of BEV buyers. The 2024 report explores BEV owners’ and new-car buyers’ perceptions about the BEV charging experience and how it impacts decision-making in both the BEV purchasing process and when selecting where to charge.
As previous EVForward research has shown, most BEV charging happens at home, with home charging being the “unsung hero” of BEV ownership. However, prospective BEV buyers are looking for home charging support from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Two-thirds of new-car buyers, particularly EV Owners and EV Intenders—consumers who are more than 15 times more likely to purchase a BEV than the average new-car buyer, according to Escalent’s research—expressed they would be most comfortable with the manufacturer choosing and installing a home charger, while only 36% of buyers are comfortable with handling it entirely on their own. Offering white glove home charging installation, as some OEMs have done, removes the stress and burden of the installation process from the consumer completely and can help sway buyers to their BEVs. The study found that 71% of buyers would be more likely to purchase a BEV from a manufacturer that handles all aspects of setting up home charging.
“By providing home charging equipment to BEV buyers, OEMs have the opportunity to not only get in front of the home charging barrier to adoption but also improve brand appeal and consideration among consumers,” said Nikki Stern, an Automotive & Mobility industry senior insights manager at Escalent. “While this likely won’t be the sole deciding factor in buyers’ BEV purchase decisions, it could encourage shoppers to purchase from one brand over another.”
Just as with included home charging, 72% of buyers in the study indicated they would be more likely to purchase a BEV from a manufacturer that offers two years of free DC fast charging. While including public charging with vehicle purchases could drive buyers to purchase a specific vehicle brand, BEV owners have made it clear that their public charging experiences have not lived up to their expectations. Among the issues that negatively impacted the charging experience, BEV owners cited slow charge time (86%), long waits for available chargers (84%) and high charging costs (81%) as key concerns. However, Tesla owners reported these issues less frequently than non-Tesla owners, one of the reasons the Tesla Supercharger network is the standout CPO brand among consumers.
“BEV owners are likely to become dissatisfied and frustrated when they don’t have the experience they expect at public chargers,” said K.C. Boyce, a vice president in the Automotive & Mobility and Energy industry practices at Escalent. “These negative emotions become associated with the charge point operator because users think that the charging equipment is most to blame, highlighting a big brand risk for charge point operators.”
While Tesla’s brand leadership in public charging currently provides it an edge in consumer consideration, Escalent identified several strategies CPOs can employ to effectively compete against Tesla. For instance, focusing on reducing drivers’ Time Anxiety™ by siting stations along major travel corridors and allowing drivers to reserve a charger in advance of when they arrive can sway 71% of drivers to choose that network rather than Tesla Superchargers in a head-to-head decision. Another strategy is to mirror traditional gas stations to attract more customers. Restrooms (73%), security cameras (64%), and, equally, food options and free Wi-Fi (57%) were among the amenities respondents outlined they would like to have available at public charging stations—and providing these can capture 64% of drivers in a head-to-head comparison with Tesla.
“Ultimately, the financial viability of charge point operators is dependent on customer utilization,” added Boyce. “Charge point operators that focus on the things that matter most to consumers—speed, competitive pricing and supplemental amenities—will position themselves to better compete with their more positively regarded competitors, encouraging brand loyalty among BEV owners.”
To learn more about Escalent’s EVForward® research, visit escalent.co.
About the EVForward® 2024 Charging Experience DeepDive study
This EVForward® DeepDive was conducted among a national sample of 1,324 respondents—with 106 EV Owners, 324 EV Intenders, 433 EV Open and 461 EV Resistant respondents as identified by Escalent’s algorithm—from October 14 to November 5, 2024. These respondents are a subset of the EVForward® database, a global sample of more than 50,000 new-vehicle buyers age 18 to 80, weighted by age, gender, race and location to match the demographics of the new-vehicle buyer population and by vehicle segment to match current vehicle sales. The sample for this research comes from an opt-in online panel. As such, any reported margins of error or significance tests are estimated and rely on the same statistical assumptions as data collected from a random probability sample. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.
About Escalent
Escalent is an award-winning data analytics and advisory firm specializing in industries facing disruption and business transformation. As catalysts of progress for more than 40 years, we accelerate growth by creating a seamless flow between primary, secondary, syndicated, and internal business data, providing consulting and advisory services from insights through implementation. We are 1,800 team members strong, following the acquisition of C Space and Hall & Partners in April 2023. Escalent is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, with locations across the US and in Australia, Canada, China, India, Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, UAE and the UK. Visit escalent.co to see how we are helping shape the brands that are reshaping the world.
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