“EV drivers are no longer treating these apps as novelties—they expect them to work every time, immediately, and without fail,” said Violet Allmandinger, mobile apps lead at J.D. Power. “The leaders in this space are those that deliver fast, reliable connections and intuitive features. Everyone else is still playing catch-up.”
The report, now in its fifth year, reveals striking growth in app usage. Among non-Tesla EV owners, 32% report using their apps during every drive, nearly doubling from 17% in 2024. Tesla drivers remain the most app-reliant, with 79% using the Tesla app every trip—up from 69% last year. This spike underscores the growing dependence on digital tools for routine tasks like route planning, state-of-charge monitoring, and remote climate control. However, high expectations around speed and reliability often go unmet: nearly half of EV owners say a delay of 3–5 seconds is the longest they’ll tolerate when issuing a command through the app, while Tesla drivers expect even faster responses, within just 1–2 seconds.
Tesla, according to the report, continues to set the benchmark for app satisfaction, earning the highest overall score (864 out of 1,000). Mercedes-Benz (839) and My BMW (833) follow in the premium segment, while among mass-market brands, MyHyundai with Bluelink (820) leads, followed by Kia Access (808) and MINI (797). Tesla’s competitive edge lies not only in speed but also in reliability: connectivity complaints among Tesla users dropped from 35% in 2024 to 19% this year. In contrast, 37% of non-Tesla users still report connectivity challenges—a modest improvement from 40% the previous year, but still a glaring issue in an increasingly digital driving landscape.
The report also highlights a puzzling gap between the features EV owners say they want and those they actually use. More than 70% of app users express interest in capabilities like charge scheduling, trip planning with charging stops, and in-app payment at public stations. Yet large numbers of non-Tesla users have never engaged with these tools: 43% have never scheduled a charge via the app, 44% have never used route planning, and 54% have never tried integrated payment functions. The findings suggest a disconnect in feature awareness or accessibility—missed opportunities for automakers to elevate user satisfaction and differentiate themselves in a crowded market.
Feature desirability continues to evolve in line with EV drivers’ digital expectations. The biggest year-over-year jump in interest was seen in driver profile customization, including valet and guest modes, which rose 6.3 percentage points. Remote window controls (+3.7 points), smartphone-based key access (+2.2), and vehicle camera/security alerts (+1.7) also saw measurable increases. Foundational features such as over-the-air updates, vehicle diagnostics, and real-time vehicle status remain widely desired by more than 90% of users.
Conducted in March and April of 2025, the study surveyed 1,966 EV owners across the United States. The findings are based on a rigorous evaluation of 28 top automakers selling EVs in the U.S., as well as select brands from China and Europe. J.D. Power used a standardized framework built on more than 350 best practices and 70 EV-specific app attributes to assess app performance, usability, and satisfaction.
As automakers race to refine their digital ecosystems, the message from EV drivers is clear: the mobile app is no longer a value-add—it is a core component of the ownership experience. And as regulatory demands, public charging expectations, and customer loyalty increasingly hinge on user experience, the stakes for getting these apps right have never been higher.