From two-wheelers catching fire to supply delays due to chip shortage, electric vehicles have been the talk of the town for various reasons. Global chip shortages and supply chain woes have hit EV quality across the board, with Tesla continuing its trend of substandard manufacturing, a new report has revealed.
According to consumer research and analytics firm JD Power, Pollstar ranks last while Elon Musk-run Tesla is seventh from the bottom of its list. J.D. Power recorded 226 problems per 100 Tesla vehicles.
The report said owners of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) cite more problems with their vehicles than owners of vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs).
Also Read: India’s First Electric Cafe Racer Bike AtumVader Launched; Price Rs 99,999
Compared to 2021 results, the EV industry experienced an 11 percent increase in problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), an 18 pp100 worse than last year, resulting in an industry average of 180 pp100. General Motors bucks this trend with initial quality improvements that elevate it to the highest-ranked position among automotive corporations.
Among brands, Buick’s quality improves by 17 pp100 year over year, taking it from 12th place in 2021 to the highest ranking in 2022, while Genesis ranks highest among premium brands. Of the 33 ranked brands, only nine showed improvement in in-vehicle quality year over year.
David Amodeo, Director of Global Automotive at JD Power, said, “While automakers and their dealers have faced many challenges over the past year, it is somewhat surprising that starting quality has not declined even more dramatically. ” “Automakers continue to launch vehicles that are more and more technologically complex in an era that lacks many of the critical components to support them,” he said in a statement.
The study, now in its 36th year, is based on responses from 84,165 buyers and lessors of new 2022 model-year vehicles this year that were surveyed early in the ownership period. “Supply chain disruptions, particularly the lack of microchips, have caused automakers to seek alternative solutions to get new vehicles into the hands of buyers and lessors,” Amodeo said.
Also Read: Toyota Urban Cruiser Haider SUV Unveiled: Top 5 Highlights You Need To Know
In some cases, new vehicles are being shipped without certain facilities being installed. “Communication with them regarding changes in facility availability, as well as when such facilities will be restored, is critical to their satisfaction,” he said.
This year both the all-new and continuing models increase the problem, although the all-new models tend to be the worst (23 pp100). The study found that many new models outperform their segment averages four times worse than their segment averages.
“Problems with the Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS) declined in 2021 but increased in 2022. The most problematic is Lane Departure Warning/Lane-Keeping Assistance with ADAS System 4.1 PP100,” the findings showed. Among premium brands, Genesis (156 PP100) ranks highest and ranks fourth overall. Lexus (157 pp100) is second and Cadillac (163 pp100) is third.
(With inputs from IANS)