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Electric vehicle public chargers are going to be a huge part of everyone’s future. Gas stations will become relics of the past, and more electric vehicle charging stations will pop up across the United States of America. Thanks to the U.S. Senate’s new infrastructure bill, billions of dollars will be invested in EV charging infrastructure. Who are the best EV public charging operators today?

The best EV public charging operator

A row of white Tesla chargers with trees in the background.
Tesla charging station | Getty Images

J.D. Power used a criteria to rank EV public charging operators that included charging cost, speed, ease of payment, and several other important factors. It also graded different tiers of charging stations, including Level 2 chargers (the most common) and DC Fast Chargers. Unsurprisingly, Tesla beat out other operators like Volta and ChargePoint in both categories for the top spot. Electric vehicle public charging stations have many issues but are making major improvements.

According to InsideEVs, J.D. Power scored each public charging operator out of 1,000 points. Tesla’s Level 2 charging stations received a 689/1000 or a 68.9%. This was the highest score for Level 2 charging station operators. Tesla’s DC Fast Charging stations received a 733/1000 or 73.3%, the highest score of DC Fast Charging station operators.

J.D. Power has deemed that Tesla has the best charging stations all-around. When it comes to convenience, access and location, price, and ease of payment, Tesla has developed the best EV charging infrastructure. This is no surprise because the electric car and clean energy company has been in the automotive industry for almost two decades while many other charging station operators are new to the business. Tesla also has more at stake because it is one of the few charging station operators that also produces and sells electric vehicles.

Tesla charging stations aren’t perfect. The company does have the best EV charging network when compared closely to the competition, though. The Tesla Model 3 is currently America’s most popular electric car. It can be fully charged in under 25 minutes for under $13 at a Tesla DC Fast Charging station. Not only are Tesla charging stations more efficient than others, but Tesla also is responsible for one of the largest global electric vehicle charging networks. The company has also announced that it plans to make its chargers accessible to other brands.

Notable public charging operators

A white electric car plugged into Evolt charge point in Cambridge, England, UK.
Electric car plugged into Evolt charge point | Andrew Michael/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Competition for public electric vehicle charging station operators is a great thing. These networks need to rapidly improve and expand to meet the new demand for EV chargers. Tesla may be dominating the EV sales and charging game, but it is far from the only public charging operator.

When it comes to EV public charging station operators, the more, the merrier. Charging stations are essentially the new gas stations. It’s easy to get gas in most places in America because companies like BP, Mobil, Sunoco, Shell, and many more have established a huge network of stations. Similarly, EV public charging operators need to establish huge and competitive networks so EV drivers can charge their vehicles more easily.

Volta was the second highest-ranked EV charging station operator for Level 2 charging stations. The company claims to be responsible for over 99 million electric miles driven. Coming second to Tesla in Level 2 charging station overall experience quality is amazing. Level 2 chargers are currently the most common public chargers in America because they provide mid-level voltage and charging time. The company Segment Average came second to Tesla in DC Fast Charging public EV charging operators.

What do these rankings mean for the future?

A white Nissan Leaf EV plugged into an electric charging station in a parking garage
A Nissan Leaf plugged into an electric charging station | Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Imagine being able to see which gasoline companies were providing the best value and experience when the biggest providers were in their infancy. These rankings from J.D. Power indicate the future of EV public charging operators. There may be some latecomers that disrupt rankings in the years to come, but companies like Tesla, Volta, and Segment Average are likely to dominate the market over time.

Electric vehicle public charging station operators will play a vital role in the future. Electric vehicle public charging stations may not be very common today, but by the next decade, they could become a regular fixture in most major cities. Can other EV public charging station operators surpass Tesla, or is the company bound to fuel the electric future?

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