by Electric vehicle service: growing wait times and new opportunities
As electric vehicles grow in popularity, attention is shifting from sales to the quality of their service. Surveys show that dealership service centers are not always keeping up with demand.
The study found that 82% of EV buyers are willing to purchase another electric vehicle, despite the fact that 85% of them contacted service within the first year of ownership. In the first half of 2025, over 607 thousand electric vehicles were sold in the USA – a record figure that may be linked to the reduction of government incentives.
Service trends
Service wait times are increasing: if in 2023, 9% of customers waited three days or more, in 2024 that number has risen to 14%. This is particularly felt by owners of electric vehicles from brands other than Tesla – 34% of them report longer repair times. At the same time, 53% of non-Tesla EV owners note that servicing is cheaper than for ICE vehicles.
“We know dealers are ready for EV service, but our data shows: customers are waiting longer, and problems often require multiple visits,” said David Thomas from CDK.
Mobile service is gaining momentum – in 2024, 19% of owners used the service of a mobile technician. The popularity of having the vehicle delivered to the service center by the dealer is also growing – from 6% to 9%.
This data is based on owner surveys, so it may contain some subjectivity. However, metrics such as repair duration fairly accurately reflect the real ownership experience. At the same time, only 13% of owners reported additional service costs, and 16% of visits were related to recalls – this figure is the same for Tesla and other manufacturers.
The modern service infrastructure for electric vehicles is still forming, and this data points to key areas for improvement. The growing demand for EVs will inevitably require an expansion of the service network and the implementation of innovative approaches, such as mobile service teams. At the same time, the difference in the experience of Tesla owners and other brands may indicate the advantages of vertically integrated service systems.
