Electric vehicle sales rise every year. In fact, according to Green Tech Media, electric vehicle sales in the U.S. surged by 81% in 2018 and are expected to be the majority of vehicles on the road by 2029. The primary reason drivers purchase EVs is due to the environmental and economic benefits, including substantial savings on fuel and maintenance. Despite the increase in production and sales, many drivers remain uncertain about purchasing an EV. Let's take a closer look at why.
Common Reasons Drivers May Avoid EVs
There are a few reasons why some drivers are uncertain about trying an EV.
The most common reasons drivers avoid EVs include:
fear that the battery will run out of charge before reaching their destination (also known as "range anxiety"),
fear of too few charging stations,
long charge times, and
initial higher upfront vehicle costs.
Range Anxiety
A 2019 Volvo study found that 58% of Americans had range anxiety and 49% feared being unable to find a charging station. However, the data indicate that driving an EV alleviates these concerns. 65% of EV drivers in the survey stated that while while they initially had range anxiety, that fear "went away after a few months."
Which solutions would increase the likelihood of buying an EV? 61% of non-EV drivers stated that more charging stations would help, and 40% wanted to try the EV for 30 days before buying.
Charging Time
According to one New York Times article, Americans are becoming more concerned with long charge times than the inability to find a charger. EV advocates are trying to educate drivers and alleviate their concerns by explaining that EV fueling is generally done while the driver is doing something else — whether they plug in overnight, stop to shop, or grab a bite to eat.
Vehicle Cost
Price also plays a significant factor. According to InsideEVs, over 40% of consumers report cost as a reason not to buy an EV. However, EV advocates are helping potential consumers understand that long-term savings are considerable with an EV.
According to Corporate Knight, to truly compare cost efficiency, consumers should think long term. Their research compared two practical, cost-effective vehicles: the 2019 Honda Civic XL and the 2019 Nissan Leaf S. The Honda's sticker price is $23,770, while the Nissan is $36,789. At first glance, the smarter consumer would choose the Honda because it costs a whopping $13,000 less. However, considering vehicle longevity, including gasoline versus charging costs and maintenance, the total cost of ownership of the gas-powered Honda over 10 years is $66,020. Meanwhile, the total cost of ownership for the Nissan EV is $63,815.
Some would-be EV drivers also worry that replacing an EV battery might cost too much. Used to replacing an ICE vehicle battery every 2 to 3 years, they assume that EVs require the same maintenance schedule. The truth is that most EV batteries have a 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty. EV drivers do not need to replace their batteries every few years, and they can expect future replacement costs to decrease as battery technology advances.
Just as conventional reasons for potential customers not buying an EV are disappearing, new reasons are emerging.
EV Education Is Still Catching Up to Production
While there are plenty of misunderstandings and false rumors about EVs, the effect they have on vehicle sales is all too real.
For example, while the majority know that EVs run on electricity as fuel, some aren't so sure. Ford recently conducted an in-depth study on the public opinion of EVs and found that lack of knowledge is a major deterrent to purchasing. As The Drive reported, the Ford study found that:
42% of Americans believe EVs still require some amount of gasoline as fuel,
90% of Americans and Europeans believe electric cars have poor acceleration. (To the contrary, the Tesla Model S can go from zero to 60 in 2.4 seconds - the fastest-accelerating sedan in the world.)
85% of Americans stated that they would not buy an EV while residing in a northern climate due to rumors of range loss in cold weather
65% of Americans said they would not choose an electric powertrain for an all-wheel-drive vehicle.
Writing about a 2018 EV awareness study, CNBC wrote, "There remains plenty of confusion about what electric vehicles can and can't do, and not only in the United States." In that study, 42% of British motorists believed that an EV could not go through a wash.
Ford's study aimed to gather information ahead of the release of the electric version of their highly popular F-150 truck, an EV with enhanced towing capacity. However, the study has revealed a need for more education on the part of EV manufacturers to help the public understand what EVs actually can and cannot do.
As we've seen, consumer education is essential to widespread EV adoption. Blink is here to help.
Thinking about switching from gas to electric? Here's what you need to know before buying your EV.