Tesla and Rivian Take the Lead in Dependability of Electric Vehicle Charging Networks
In a recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports, the performance of public charging networks has been under scrutiny. The survey gathered responses from 1230 EV owners between March 2024 and February 2025.
The most common issues cited in the survey included malfunctioning payment systems and faulty charging hardware. 19% of reported payment issues involved a transaction that was accepted but failed to initiate a charge. On the other hand, 76% of all charger-related issues stemmed from broken or unresponsive screens or error messages.
However, not all charging networks fared the same. Tesla's Supercharger network, with over 65,000 chargers worldwide, had the fewest reported issues with just 4% of users encountering problems. This is a testament to Tesla's commitment to providing a seamless charging experience for its customers.
In an impressive turn of events, Rivian's Adventure Network, founded in 2022, has achieved an impressive 5% problem rate. This nearly matches Tesla's efficiency, despite having fewer sites and chargers. Rivian is allowing other EV drivers to use its charging network, with the first station available to non-Rivian EVs in Joshua Tree National Park, California.
The survey results will help hold charging networks accountable and improve drivers' experience with public charging, according to Drew Toher, a campaign manager at Consumer Reports.
More automakers are integrating Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors into their vehicles, making Tesla's Supercharger network a more accessible charging solution for a growing number of EV drivers. Meanwhile, other networks like EVgo and Blink reported issue rates of 43% and 41% respectively.
Shell's Recharge network reported problems in nearly half (48%) of charging sessions, indicating room for improvement in their network's performance.
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, the performance of public charging networks will become increasingly important. The Supercharger network is becoming the go-to charging solution for an increasing number of EV drivers, setting a high bar for other networks to follow.
