Nio EV comes out on top in China quality survey by J.D. Power.

Electric vehicle startup Nio ranks highest in J.D. Power’s inaugural China New Energy Vehicle Experience Index Study, which measures new-vehicle quality by monitoring problems reported by EV owners in the first two to six months of ownership. 

It’s a bit of an accolade for NIO to win the coveted JD Power award.

In the study, an electrified vehicle is scored based on problems cited per 100 vehicles, with a lower number of problems indicating higher quality. Nio, with a score of 67, was followed by BMW brand at 82. Two marques from Chinese automakers -- Chery Automobile’s Chery and GAC Motor's Trumpchi -- tied for third at 84. 

Separate rankings were also produced for two segments of electrified vehicles: BYD’s Tang led the ranking of mass market plug-in hybrids while the Nio ES8 ranked highest in the midsize/large battery EV segment. 

The study shows that electrified vehicles have the same problems as traditional vehicles, with the top three cited complaints covering interiors, exteriors and driving experience. 

When it comes to problems specific to electrified vehicles, the top four complaints were insufficient power, slow charging speed, excessive energy use that affects range and abnormal powertrain noise.

The study also reveals that luxury electrified vehicle brands, as a whole, excel in new-vehicle quality, with an average score of 69 vs. the industry average of 89. 

By contrast, electrified vehicle bands marketed by Chinese automakers, with an average score of 90, have the most reported problems.

The study surveyed 2,770 owners who bought new electrified vehicles from September 2018 through March. It covered 41 models from 21 brands and was carried out from March to May in 30 provinces in China.

Source: Automotive News