Nine in ten electric vehicle (EV) drivers will detour to reach a charger someone else has vouched for, according to new research by Driivz.
The survey of more than 3,000 EV drivers across North America and Europe found that 91% would make a detour to charge at a location recommended by another EV driver, and 76% would avoid a charging network entirely based on a warning from friends or family.
More than half (55%) said they’d travel more than five minutes out of their way for a recommended spot. At an unfamiliar charging location, they trust specialist charging apps (33%) and recommendations from EV-driving friends and family (32%) more than satellite navigation and mapping apps (27%).
Among drivers who trust specialist apps, 81% don’t also count navigation tools among their most trusted sources, and among those who trust word of mouth, 76% said the same.
In addition, 79% would warn friends or family after a poor charging experience, 76% would report the issue directly through a charging app, and 65% would leave an online review.
Drivers are nearly as vocal about good experiences as bad ones, with 42% stating they’re most likely to talk about a charging session that exceeded expectations, against 39% who are more likely to talk about one that fell short.
The findings track closely with Driivz’s 2026 State of EV Charging Network Operators Report, which found ensuring 24/7 network availability (47%) and seamless authentication (43%) are the top priorities for improving the charging experience.
Shiri Levi-Laor, CEO of Driivz, said:
“EV charging has become much more than a question of where the nearest charger is located,” said “Drivers are no longer just asking ‘where is a charger?’ They’re asking ‘is there a charger I can rely on?’ and increasingly, they’re trusting each other for the answer rather than relying on traditional navigation tools.”
“Reliable charging experiences build trust, and trust increasingly drives recommendations, reviews and future charging decisions,” Levi-Laor said. “For operators, that creates a direct line from operational performance to customer loyalty, and ultimately, to long-term network utilization and profitability.”
Image of report courtesy of Driivz.
