© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: An electric car charging station stands in the Union Station parking lot in Washington, U.S., September 29, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger
(Reuters) – Customer service satisfaction among owners of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is lower than that of those who own internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE (NYSE:)), according to a study published on Thursday .
JD Power’s 2023 US Customer Service Index (CSI) study, now in its 43rd year, saw a year-over-year score decline for the first time in 28 years.
Automakers are committing billions to developing and building electric vehicles and batteries as they shift their focus to cleaner mobility alternatives, but customer service satisfaction remains low.
Recovery rates, which are more than double for BEVs than their gas/diesel counterparts, are an important factor, according to the report.
BEV owners’ customer service satisfaction was 42 points lower than ICE engine owners.
“As the electric vehicle segment grows, service will be a critical part of the ownership experience,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail for JD Power.
“The industry has been very focused on launches and now these customers are bringing their EVs in for maintenance and repairs.”
The study shows a 23-point decrease in satisfaction when an owner has to take their vehicle in for repair after a recall instead of traditional maintenance and repair.
Since their report in 2021, the consultants have found that owners are now having to wait longer for their vehicles to be serviced due to labor, loaner vehicle availability and parts shortages.
Lexus ranks first in dealer service satisfaction among all premium brands and Mitsubishi ranks first among mass-market brands, according to the report.
The 2023 US CSI study is based on responses from 64,248 verified registered owners and lessees of 2020 through 2022 model year vehicles.
