JD Power 2026 APEAL Study Finds EV Owners More Satisfied Than Gas‑Car Drivers
JD Power’s 2026 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study surveyed 78,514 owners of new‑model‑year 2026 vehicles in the United States. The results show electric‑vehicle (EV) owners rating their cars higher than internal‑combustion‑engine (ICE) owners in almost every measured category. EVs outscored ICE cars by 109 points on the power‑train satisfaction metric, the largest gap of any category. Overall new‑vehicle satisfaction reached 858 points, up seven points year‑over‑year – the biggest single‑year jump since 2018. EVs also posted the strongest year‑over‑year gain of any power‑train type, improving by 22 points.
In the European market, the first half of 2026 saw 5.9 million new vehicles registered, a 5.7 % increase over the previous year. Battery‑electric models captured 20.7 % of registrations, while hybrid (non‑plug‑in) models remained dominant at 37.3 % of the market. Mini and Porsche were highlighted for receiving honors in the JD Power study, underscoring the growing consumer favor for electrified models across both sides of the Atlantic.
Entities: European Union · JD Power · Mini · Porsche AG · Volkswagen AG
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] EVs showed the largest year‑over‑year improvement of any power‑train type, gaining 22 points compared with the prior year. (18e98810-c5d2-47c1-a857-46514feb3fea)
- [● 2 SOURCES] EVs outscored internal combustion engine cars by 109 points on power‑train satisfaction in the JD Power study. (8d406b0d-d50f-471f-a513-6410ee52bdfb, 18e98810-c5d2-47c1-a857-46514feb3fea)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mini and Porsche received honors in the JD Power 2026 APEAL study. (9ec8f61d-712c-4da8-a7ad-5f830026ffce)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Battery‑electric vehicles accounted for 20.7 % of EU new‑vehicle registrations in the first half of 2026. (ad6fadbf-d026-4331-94b7-4ed06a0d168d)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The EU registered 5.9 million new vehicles from January to June 2026, a 5.7 % market growth. (ad6fadbf-d026-4331-94b7-4ed06a0d168d)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Overall new‑vehicle satisfaction in the JD Power study reached 858 points, up 7 points year over year, the biggest improvement since 2018. (8d406b0d-d50f-471f-a513-6410ee52bdfb, 18e98810-c5d2-47c1-a857-46514feb3fea)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Hybrid (non‑plug‑in) vehicles held a 37.3 % market share in the EU during the first half of 2026. (ad6fadbf-d026-4331-94b7-4ed06a0d168d)
- [● 2 SOURCES] JD Power's 2026 APEAL study surveyed 78,514 owners of new‑model‑year 2026 vehicles. (8d406b0d-d50f-471f-a513-6410ee52bdfb, 18e98810-c5d2-47c1-a857-46514feb3fea)