Domestic New Energy Vehicle Startups Garner Highest Satisfaction in China, J.D. Power Finds

SHANGHAI: 29 Aug. 2024 —Among new energy vehicle (NEV) owners, domestic startup brands earn the highest satisfaction this year in the Customer Experience Value Index (CXVI), a score of 783 (on a 1,000-point scale), according to the J.D. Power 2024 China New Energy Vehicle Customer Experience Value Index (NEV-CXVI) Study,SM released today. The overall CXVI score in 2024 is 772, an increase of 770 from 2023. Traditional domestic brands score 767, up 3 points from a year ago, while international brands score 776, down 3 points from 2023.

The study utilizes the CXVI to evaluate the experience of NEV owners between two and 12 months of ownership. Index scores are based on evaluations of different customer groups for a variety of measures at three NEV customer experience stages: purchase, usage and after-sales service. The study focuses on providing the automotive industry with specific action guidelines for satisfying emotional needs of customers in various scenarios and is designed to provide advisement to continuously offer a more efficient and holistic customer-oriented experience.

The study finds that throughout the customer vehicle journey, satisfaction scores for the purchase experience (773) and service experience (785) have increased 9 and 16 points, respectively, year over year. However, the score for the usage experience has declined 5 points to 770, mainly due to lower satisfaction with customer inquiries while using the vehicle and charging-related issues.

“New energy vehicle services differ significantly from those for internal combustion engine vehicles,” said Ann Xie, general manager of the digital retail consulting practice at J.D. Power China. “Automakers need to focus on more service details, particularly in providing personalized service. At the same time, they should prioritize service efficiency and minimize unnecessary service efforts.”

Following are additional findings of the 2024 study:

• Pre-visit communication is crucial for customer satisfaction: Those who interact with brand or dealership staff online before visiting the store enter the dealership 3.6 days sooner on average compared with those who just show up without any communication. Satisfaction is higher among customers who interact with brand representatives, a score of 800 compared with 781 among those who engage with dealership staff, while satisfaction among customers with no interaction is 746.
• Energy service experience declines: In 2024, overall satisfaction with energy services has declined to 777, down 9 points from 2023. Satisfaction is lowest for brand-specific slow charging (777) and third-party public charging (753). The problems with brand public charging stations have increased to 44.6% this year from 31.6% in 2023, with notable issues including insufficient charging stations, poor facilities and discrepancies between actual conditions and online information.
• NEV owners are more demanding: NEV owners are increasingly focused on the thorough resolution of maintenance and repair issues. If issues are not resolved in a single visit, satisfaction drops 74 points. Regarding vehicle cleanliness after service, satisfaction remains at 756 if the vehicle is as clean after service as it was before. However, satisfaction significantly increases to 803 when the vehicle is cleaner than before the service.
• Importance of apps in digital experience: NEV owners are increasingly using apps during both the purchase and service stages. The share of owners using brand apps for maintenance and repair appointments has risen to 16.1% this year from 11.1% in 2023. Additionally, more active app users add more value to the dealership; daily active users spend an average of 212 yuan more per person on after-sales services compared with non-daily users.

Highest-Ranked Brands

NIO ranks highest in customer experience value among Chinese brands with a score of 798. Li Auto (791) ranks second and Xpeng (788) ranks third.

Mercedes-Benz ranks highest in customer experience value among international brands with a score of 789. Tesla (787) ranks second.

The 2024 China New Energy Vehicle Customer Experience Value Index (NEV-CXVI) Study measures the purchase stage across six categories (in order of importance): customer follow-up (19%); information collection (17%); delivery (17%); showroom experience (16%); purchase plan (16%); and product experience (14%). The measures for the usage stage are (in order of importance): customer equity (34%); customer service (33%); and energy service (32%). The measures for the service stage include service process (37%); service quality (34%); and initiation (29%).

The 2024 study is based on responses from 8,733 new energy vehicle owners who purchased their vehicle between April 2023 and April 2024. The study includes 53 brands and was fielded in April-June 2024 in 81 major cities across China.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

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Media Relations Contacts

Mengmeng Wang, J.D. Power; China; +86 21 8026 5719; mengmeng.wang@jdpa.com

Geno Effler, J.D. Power; USA; 001-714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

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