TROY, Mich.: 26 May 2026 — EV app usage has reached a turning point, as higher engagement is now matched by higher expectations, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. OEM EV App Report,SM released today. Electric vehicle (EV) owners are relying on their apps more often, but they are also less willing to tolerate delays or inconsistent performance. App performance has become the defining factor of the experience as speed and reliability gaps become more visible with increased use. Overall, app satisfaction has improved, reaching a satisfaction rating of 7.7 (on a 10-point scale) among mass market users, up from 6.1 in 2025 and 5.5 in 2024.
Daily engagement continues to rise among non-Tesla EV app users, with 55% of users who say they are frequent users compared with 48% in 2025. At the same time, churn has dropped to 4.5%, down from 22% in 2023, signaling that apps are now embedded in routine vehicle use. While connectivity has improved for a second consecutive year, 33% of users still experience issues, indicating that stability remains a key challenge as expectations continue to increase.
The U.S. OEM EV App Report is an industry benchmark focused on evaluating electric vehicle smartphone apps and the connected ownership experience they enable. Report content includes overall app performance and satisfaction; detailed diagnostics across key experience pillars; and feature-level insights into usage, preferences and unmet needs. It also highlights brand-level performance and competitive gaps across the industry, identifying where experiences diverge and where improvements are most needed. By combining user feedback with a structured evaluation framework, the U.S. OEM EV App Report provides actionable insights that help OEMs enhance app usability, strengthen customer engagement and prioritize high-impact feature development.
“With 51% of our respondents new to vehicle apps, OEMs have a clear opportunity to set the standard,” said Violet Allmandinger, senior principal of OEM solutions at JD Power. “However, inconsistent connectivity continues to hold the experience back.”
Following are some key findings of the 2026 report:
- Speed is the top driver of satisfaction: Regression analysis shows speed now has the greatest impact on overall app satisfaction, accounting for 25% this year, and is more than that of any other factor. Charging functionality and range of services remain important contributors. Expectations have tightened, with 72.7% of users indicating 1 to 5 seconds as the maximum acceptable wait time and satisfaction declining once that threshold is exceeded. Leading apps deliver consistently fast response times, making speed the highest-impact opportunity for improvement.
- Owners want more useful features: When asked what would drive them to use their app more often, 36% of EV app users say more useful features is their top request, ahead of faster performance (17%) or better design (11%). Interest in advanced features continues to rise, with plug and charge at public chargers up 4.2 percentage points year-over-year. Geofencing and valet alerts have each increased by 4.6 percentage points, while remote charge-port control has increased by 2.6 percentage points. Year over year, core features such as vehicle status, over-the-air updates and diagnostics continue to be desired by more than 90% of EV app users.
- Dealer support drives engagement: Among active EV app users, 86% indicate receiving setup or guidance at vehicle pickup, making the dealership handoff the most consistent early touchpoint in the app journey. Dealership staff are a primary source of awareness, with 43% of users first learning about the app at delivery and higher satisfaction year over year among supported users (7.7 vs. 7.0).
- Monetization of apps still a challenge: Slightly more than half (55%) of EV owners say the app had a major or moderate impact on their decision to buy their vehicle; 51% of these owners are first-time users of an OEM app. Yet 64% say they would not pay a fee for app access, underscoring that automakers must demonstrate clear, ongoing value before monetizing the experience. As EV adoption broadens beyond early enthusiasts, the app is becoming a meaningful part of the shopping consideration set—not just an after-sale tool.
Report Rankings
Tesla (867 on a 1,000-point scale) ranks highest overall and highest among premium manufacturer EV vehicle mobile apps. My BMW (832) ranks second and Genesis Intelligent Assistant (822) ranks third among premium manufacturers.
MyHyundai with Bluelink ranks highest among mass market manufacturer EV vehicle mobile apps with a score of 827. Kia Access (796) ranks second and MINI (790) ranks third.
The U.S. OEM EV App Report, now in its sixth year, provides a comprehensive evaluation of the OEM electric vehicle mobile app experience. The 2026 study includes two primary components: a consumer survey conducted in March–April 2026 among EV owners in the United States that covers 24 brands in addition to an expert evaluation of apps from 24 U.S. award-eligible brands.
In April 2026, JD Power conducted an online survey targeting owners of model year 2024 to 2026 battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to evaluate their experiences and expectations with their OEM EV apps. This year’s report measures responses of 1,610 respondents and represents 24 brands across the industry. All respondents had confirmed during their participation in the JD Power U.S. Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) survey (2024 or 2025 survey years) that their vehicle manufacturer provided a dedicated app for their model; they were then recontacted for the 2026 U.S. OEM EV App Report to provide detailed feedback on feature usage, feature demand, alternative app usage and willingness to pay for app functionality.
For more information about the U.S. OEM EV App Report, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/us-oem-ev-app-report.
About JD Power
JD Power is a proven leader in business-critical data and intelligence to drive auto-related decisions with confidence and clarity. By leveraging unmatched proprietary data, advanced analytics and deep industry expertise, JD Power fuels original equipment manufacturers, retailers, lenders, insurers and partners to enhance their performance.
Since 1968, JD Power has delivered incisive guidance and intelligence about customer interactions with brands and products. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com.
