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The 2026 US Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study puts the non-charge visit rate at 12% in the most recent quarter, down from 14% in the same period a year earlier.
Satisfaction with DC fast charging also improved, rising 12 points year on year to 666 out of 1,000. Public Level 2 charging moved in the opposite direction, falling 12 points to 595.
DC fast charging continues to improve
JD Power recorded improvements across all 10 factors used to assess DC fast charging. Charger availability showed the largest increase, followed by how safe drivers felt at the location and the cost of charging.
Newer OEM-backed networks also performed strongly. IONNA ranked highest with a score of 807, followed by Mercedes-Benz Charging Network at 797 and Rivian Adventure Network at 755.
The result does not mean older networks are necessarily getting worse. JD Power says failure rates have improved across both newer and established networks, while the newer sites are helping to raise expectations around reliability, payment and location quality.
Public AC charging moves the other way
Public Level 2 charging satisfaction fell to 595, with JD Power identifying ease of payment and ease of charging as the main areas behind the decline.
That is notable because much of the recent investment and attention in public charging has focused on rapid and ultra-rapid infrastructure. Lower-power public charging still depends heavily on a simple session-start process, clear payment arrangements and a charger that works when the driver arrives.
The study also found that slow charging speed remains the most commonly reported problem for both Level 2 and DC fast charging, although the issue has improved for DC sites.
Location has a large effect on satisfaction
The charging location itself also produced a wide spread in satisfaction scores.
DC fast chargers at hotels scored 692, followed by petrol and convenience sites at 689 and restaurants at 688. Standalone car parks and garages scored 606, while dealership charging was lowest at 570.
The figures suggest that charger specification is only part of the user experience. Lighting, perceived safety, toilets, food and somewhere useful to spend the charging period can materially change how a site is rated.
The 2026 study is based on responses from 6,594 BEV and PHEV owners and was fielded between January and June.
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