EV Owners Report Higher Satisfaction Than Gas Car Drivers, JD Power Study Finds
Battery electric vehicles outscore internal combustion engines by 109 points in powertrain satisfaction, the widest gap across all categories measured.
Electric vehicle owners are significantly more satisfied with their cars than drivers of internal combustion engine vehicles, according to JD Power's 2026 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study.
The research surveyed 78,514 owners of 2026 model-year vehicles after their first 90 days of ownership. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) outscored traditional gas-powered cars by 109 points on a 1,000-point scale in powertrain satisfaction—the largest gap of any category measured.
BEVs posted the strongest year-over-year gains of any powertrain type, with satisfaction scores climbing 22 points. Overall new-vehicle satisfaction across all powertrains reached 858 points, a seven-point increase from the previous year.
Satisfaction Across Categories
The APEAL study measures owners' emotional attachment and excitement across 37 attributes, from seat comfort to acceleration. Electric vehicles outperformed internal combustion engine vehicles in nearly every category, contradicting narratives that mainstream EV adoption would lead to declining satisfaction as less enthusiastic buyers enter the market.
The Adoption Paradox
The findings highlight a disconnect in the U.S. electric vehicle market. While current owners report overwhelming satisfaction and demonstrate strong loyalty to the technology, overall sales growth has slowed in recent months.
Experts point to economic and infrastructural barriers rather than product quality as the primary obstacles. Changes to federal tax credit eligibility, ongoing tariff debates, and uneven charging infrastructure deployment have created headwinds independent of the ownership experience itself.
What the Numbers Mean
For automakers, the data suggests retention among existing EV buyers should remain strong. The 22-point year-over-year gain indicates newer models are addressing earlier generations' shortcomings.
The 109-point powertrain satisfaction gap is particularly significant given that powertrain performance has historically been a weakness for early electric vehicles.
JD Power's APEAL study differs from other quality measurements by focusing on owner excitement and emotional connection rather than defect counts or reliability problems. The results suggest EVs are not only meeting functional expectations but exceeding them in ways that create genuine enthusiasm among buyers.