Satisfaction with public electric-vehicle chargers, already low, fell the most in the third quarter than any quarter in three years.

Despite federal government efforts to expand U.S. charging infrastructure, the development hasn’t kept pace with EV adoption. Meanwhile, some charging providers are more reliable than others. 

A J.D. Power study found satisfaction with level 2 and level 3 chargers fell 15 and 21 points, respectively. Level 2 chargers scored 602 on a 1,000-point scale, their second-lowest score historically. Level 3, or DCFC (direct current fast charging), chargers scored 643, their lowest score ever recorded.

Level 3 chargers are far faster than level 2 equipment. And though Tesla’s charger network operates at level 3, its opening up to non-Tesla models this year contributed to the overall decline in satisfaction, J.D. Power found.

Though it’s the biggest U.S. charging network, the increase in demand led to the greater dissatisfaction, particularly among the non-Tesla users, the research showed. Level 3 stations, though, still got better scores than level 2.

Another contributor to lower satisfaction was boredom among drivers, many of whom complain that there’s nothing to occupy them at charging stations while their EV batteries get revived.

Lack of charger effectiveness was another big drag on satisfaction. J.D. Power said the most reliable charging providers offer at least 90% charging success rates, while the least reliable provide only 58% success rates.

A major key to improving U.S. charging infrastructure is the federal transportation department’s program that provides money to states to place charging stations, said J.D. Power, which pointed out that chargers’ location and the providers chosen will be impactful considerations due to demand and reliability concerns.           

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