If you’ve been frustrated by the lousy user interface of automakers’ infotainment systems, imagine what their in-vehicle apps are like. This is why J.D. Power’s OEM EV App Benchmark Study, released Wednesday, will surprise no one. Its finding? Electric vehicle owners are generally dissatisfied with their vehicle’s app.
Why this matters
While all new vehicle owners use automaker apps, EV owners use them more frequently than owners of internal combustion-powered vehicles, Power says. EV owners regularly reference range information or view their ride’s charging status.
According to Power, more than half of EV owners use their vehicle’s app at least 50% of the time they drive. This makes the app’s accuracy, performance and ease of use a priority.
“For the most part, owners are still very dissatisfied with the functionality and speed of the EV apps that are on the market,” said Jason Norton, senior manager of global automotive consulting at J.D. Power. “Manufacturers need greater focus on these critical areas, creating a user experience which aligns with other frequently used consumer apps.
“For instance, banking customers would probably not wait 60 seconds to view their account balances on their bank’s app, so why would EV owners wait that long to confirm that their vehicle doors are locked?”
Digging deeper
Apps are far more important for EV owners than for gas-powered vehicle owners, according to the survey. Not surprisingly, EV drivers use their apps to monitor the vehicle’s battery and its state of charge, with 70% accessing the app at least every other drive to monitor charging progress and the vehicle’s remaining range.
While the survey found that most EV owners charge their vehicles at home, 85% stated that they liked the ability to find charging stations while driving.
But the EV owners become frustrated as they use the app. Of the 20 most commonly used features, 15 features were cited as desirable by 70% of EV owners. Yet only eight features are widely available. And the newest features, such as phone as a key, aren’t offered by many OEMs, yet most EV owners want them. Power didn’t state what these features were.
Then there are the 32% of EV owners who have never used the app because they don’t know how to use it. Blame the dealers, who are too concerned about sales to provide true service: taking the time to explain how to use the app. Also, the study finds that others stop using the app once the free trial period ends.
Which EV app is best?
According to the J.D. Power study, the top-performing EV apps are the FordPass, Tesla, MyHyundai, Kia Access and Genesis Intelligent Assistant. All are large OEMs with the exception of Tesla. That’s because Lucid, Rivian and other newer EV manufacturers fall short in charging functionality, app speed and general information.
“New EV startups need to better understand consumer expectations, ensuring that their mobile apps meet the standards of established EV manufacturers like Tesla and other brands that already put a lot of work in their digital offerings,” said Fabian Chowanetz, director of automotive consulting at J.D. Power Europe.
“Many of these new players in the EV market are not providing the necessary app content that owners are seeking. For example, owners want the ability to find charging stations, set up the charging process and information on electric driving or advanced technology.”
But an earlier J.D. Power app study, released in January, suggests that whether you’re an EV owner or not, no automaker app will be satisfactory. Of the 32 brand apps consumers tested, none left consumers completely satisfied, J.D. Power said. But the study found that 75% of new vehicle owners use their vehicle’s app, up from 55% in 2020.
This means improving app performance and functionality has never been more important, especially with the coming of more EV models.
