IONNA tops JD Power 2026 EV fast-charging rankings
SkimNews Take
A new entrant topping the rankings while DC fast-charging satisfaction climbs 12 points and Level 2 slips points to a widening two-tier system, where capital and upkeep concentrate on flagship sites and aging infrastructure falls behind.
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- IONNA scored 807 out of 1,000 in JD Power's 2026 US Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study, edging the Mercedes-Benz Charging Network (797) and Rivian Adventure Network (755) — all three networks were first-time eligible and swept the top spots.
- IONNA operates 1,375 ports across 150 charging stations, runs on Alpitronic hardware with in-house-developed software, and measures reliability by first-attempt success rate, according to CEO Seth Cutler.
- JD Power found overall DC fast-charging satisfaction rose 12 points year over year to 666, with charger availability up 27 points, perceived safety up 18 points, and charging cost up 18 points.
- Failed public charging sessions fell to 12% of visits in the most recent quarter — the lowest since the study began in 2021 — down from 14% the prior year, though that still means roughly 1 in 8 attempts fails.
- Public Level 2 charging satisfaction dropped 12 points to 595, driven mostly by payment and session-start issues; slow charging speed remained the top complaint for both Level 2 and DC fast chargers.
- DC fast chargers at hotels topped location satisfaction at 692, followed by gas stations and convenience stores (689) and restaurants (688); standalone parking lots scored 606 and dealerships just 570 — explaining networks' focus on amenity-rich "Rechargery" sites.
- JD Power based the study on responses from 6,594 BEV and PHEV owners, surveyed January through June 2026.
Why it matters: First-time-eligible IONNA beat Mercedes-Benz and Rivian by deliberately studying incumbents' mistakes rather than racing to scale — a playbook that's delivering results at just 1,375 ports. Yet with 12% of public charging sessions still failing (roughly 1 in 8), even the JD Power leader hasn't reached gas-station-grade dependability, though overall DC fast-charging satisfaction climbed 12 points YoY.
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