As the battery electric vehicle (BEV) range improves and public charging infrastructure becomes more commonplace, specific charging pain points such as charge time and cost and 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 use.
These findings are uncovered in the Charging Experience DeepDive from EVForward, currently the largest, most comprehensive study of the next generation of BEV buyers. The new report explores BEV owners’ and new-car buyers’ perceptions about the BEV charging experience and how it impacts decision-making in the BEV purchasing process and when selecting where to charge.
Previous EVForward research has shown that most BEV charging happens at home, with home charging being the “unsung hero” of BEV ownership. However, prospective BEV buyers seek 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 that they would be most comfortable with the manufacturer choosing and installing a home charger. In contrast, 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.
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.
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.
To learn more about Escalent’s EVForward research, click here.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News