China's NEV brands lead on purchase experience: J.D. Power

China's increasingly competitive automotive market is shifting from a battle of brands and products to a contest of customer experience, with new energy vehicle brands establishing a clear lead over traditional internal combustion engine manufacturers, according to a new study by J.D. Power.

NEV brands scored 797 points on average in the 2026 China Purchase Experience Index, outperforming ICE brands by 13 points. Premium NEV brands achieved the highest score of 811, surpassing premium ICE brands, which scored 788.

The 2026 China Purchase Experience Index is based on responses from 9,093 vehicle owners across 81 major Chinese cities who purchased their vehicles between June 2025 and January 2026.

The findings suggest that electrification has not only reshaped China's vehicle market but is also redefining consumer expectations during the purchasing process.

"In the past four years, customer purchase experience in China has improved by 25 points overall, and basic service standards have largely been met," said Ann Xie, managing director of Automotive Service Solutions at J.D. Power China.

"But the rules of competition have changed. Customers are no longer paying for brands alone; they are paying for the experience they receive."

The study found that service quality has become increasingly important among NEV buyers.

More than 64 percent of NEV customers cited service-related factors as a key purchase consideration, while the importance of brand reputation and product quality has declined compared with previous years.

NEV brands demonstrated advantages in showroom experience, test drives, purchase consultation and customer follow-up, while ICE brands maintained a relative edge in the in-store experience.

Consumer expectations are also rising sharply. The study showed that NEV buyers react more strongly to poor service experiences than ICE customers.

Negative test-drive experiences, inadequate demonstrations of vehicle technology features, or disappointing delivery ceremonies all resulted in significantly steeper declines in customer advocacy among NEV owners.

The shift is particularly evident among younger consumers.

J.D. Power said post-2000 buyers are becoming the fastest-growing customer group in China's auto market, but their satisfaction levels remain lower than those of post-1990 consumers due to higher expectations for service quality and customer engagement.

The study also highlighted a growing divergence among automakers. Domestic startup brands achieved an average score of 810, ahead of domestic brands at 801, traditional domestic brands at 786 and international brands at 784.

Among individual brands, Nio ranked highest in the premium NEV segment with a score of 827, followed by AITO at 814. Li Auto led the mass-market NEV segment with 816 points, while Deepal and XPeng tied for second place at 814.

J.D. Power said the findings indicate that the definition of premium in China's auto market is evolving from brand-driven prestige to experience-driven value, with transparency, professionalism, consistency and service quality emerging as the new benchmarks for customer satisfaction.