J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Initial Quality Study has found electric vehicle drivers are experiencing higher levels of dissatisfaction with their cars. Feedback from nearly 100,000 consumers revealed that EVs are running into more issues on average than traditional gas-powered cars.
The findings show that for every 100 gas-powered vehicles, there were an average of 180 problems reported. In contrast, EVs had an average of 266 problems per 100 vehicles, 86 points higher than their combustion-engine counterparts.
Officials at J.D. Power said the study also discovered that EVs and hybrids necessitate trips to the dealership for repairs at a rate three times higher than their combustion engine counterparts.
Historically, Tesla has maintained a lead over legacy automakers in terms of quality in previous J.D. Power studies. However, this year, Tesla’s score fell and aligned with the average rating of other EV brands.
The decline in consumer satisfaction with Tesla was largely attributed to the removal of traditional feature controls in its latest models. Modifications to basic functions such as turn signals and windshield wipers were not well-received by drivers, contributing to the drop in Tesla’s ratings.
The J.D. Power study aligns with observations from other research firms regarding growing concerns over EV quality. A recent McKinsey consumer pulse survey reported that 46% of American EV owners are now contemplating a return to traditional gas vehicles, highlighting a trend of rising dissatisfaction with electric vehicles.
