While price complaints are comparatively low and maintenance complaints in EV service reviews are declining — dropping from 33.3% in 2024 to 29.9% in 2025 — another metric is worsening right on the showroom floor: staff mentions.
Looking specifically at EV sales reviews, negative staff mentions have reached 56.4% in 2025. Zooming out to all EV reviews — sales and service combined — staff negativity has climbed from 47.0% in 2024 to 52.1% this year.
A clear friction point in the data is staff knowledge. According to VOC review data, negative sentiment regarding staff being knowledgeable is 6.1% for EVs, which is 68% higher than the 3.6% negative sentiment seen among gas vehicle buyers.
When an EV handoff goes well, it looks like this — an EV customer from California:
"Nelson was friendly, super patient and kind, answered all of our questions, took us on a test drive, and walked us through all the features. When it came to pricing, he was upfront and transparent, even showing us a full breakdown of the costs and rebates before running credit."
When it doesn't, it’s more like this — a Hybrid customer from Georgia:
"Despite selling me a plug-in hybrid, they provided no charging cord or plug — a basic and essential component. When I called to resolve the issue, I was told to go to the tax office myself because it would be 'faster,' with no explanation or accountability for their delay."
The difference between those two experiences isn't the vehicle. It's whether the staff took ownership of the complexity that comes with it.
Context matters here: EV purchases fell last year after the tax credit expired, and Edmunds’ Director of Insights Ivan Drury is projecting another 20% drop in 2026. For the buyers currently transacting, the maintenance data suggests the EV itself is generating fewer service complaints than it did a year ago. The staff data, however, shows that the dealership experience is generating more friction. That's the gap worth closing before the next wave of consideration reaches the showroom.
