Amongst the 1,031 American respondents, nearly two-thirds preferred sticking to conventional gas-guzzlers for their next vehicle purchase. Some 17% would consider a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), while only 5% would get a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), or a battery electric vehicle (BEV). Conversely, consumer interest in BEVs is highest in South Korea (23%), China (17%), and Germany (15%). Unsurprisingly, range anxiety and lack of public charging infrastructure are the main reasons why respondents from all countries wouldn’t consider an EV as their next vehicle. For Americans, driving range is the biggest concern among the two, and the survey shows that they have great expectations when it comes to their vehicle’s juice. In fact, they’d need a whopping 800km range to buy an EV — double the range the Chinese, Japanese, and Indian consumers cite, for instance. Yes, Americans drive more than anyone else in the world, and the average driver makes around 1,600km per month. Looking at the data above, this means they’d opt for an electric vehicle if its range could cover half the distance they travel monthly. What’s more, 30% of the US respondents believe that EVs have a similar environmental impact compared to conventional vehicles, while 21% believe they’re even more harmful.
What’s the takeaway here?
While the survey’s sample is limited in number, there’s still an important conclusion we can make: the EV message hasn’t been well communicated to American consumers. While range anxiety is a reasonable demotivating factor, the excessive range expectations indicate that consumers aren’t still fully aware of EVs’ capabilities or mode of operation. The same goes for their environmental benefits. And given that personal vehicles remain the preferred mobility choice for 76% of the US respondents, it’s vital that conventional cars are — at least — gradually replaced by their electric counterparts. Unsurprisingly, this calls for further action from the government. Thank god all Americans are united on that at least.
