Many Americans still shy away from electric vehicles despite Biden's push, AP-NORC/EPIC poll shows

• Post by: Admin
• Jun 04 2024

Many Americans still unconvinced about going electric for their next car purchase

Many Americans still shy away from electric vehicles despite Biden's push, AP-NORC/EPIC poll shows

Many Americans still unconvinced about going electric for their next car purchase

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Americans still unconvinced about going electric for their next car purchase. High prices and a lack of easy-to-find charging stations are major sticking points, a new poll shows.

About 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they would be at least somewhat likely to buy an electric vehicle the next time they buy a car, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute, while 46% say they would not be very likely or not at all likely to buy one.

The poll results, which mirror an AP-NORC poll from last year, show that President Joe Biden's plan to dramatically increase electric vehicle sales in the election year is facing resistance among American drivers. Only 13% of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household own or lease a gasoline hybrid car, and just 9% own or lease an electric vehicle.

Caleb Jud of Cincinnati said he is considering an electric car, but might opt ​​for a plug-in hybrid — if he goes electric. Although Cincinnati winters are not extremely cold, "the thought of being stuck in the driveway with an electric car that doesn't run is unsettling, and I know that wouldn't be a problem with a plug-in hybrid," he said. Freezing temperatures can slow chemical reactions in electric vehicle batteries, leading to power loss and reduced range.

A new Environmental Protection Agency rule requires that by 2032, about 56% of all new vehicles sold must be electric cars, and at least 13% must be plug-in hybrids or other partially electric cars. Auto companies are investing billions in factories and battery technology to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, reduce pollution, fight climate change -- and meet the deadline.

Electric vehicles are a central part of Biden's climate agenda. Republicans led by presumptive nominee Donald Trump are making it a campaign issue.

Younger people are more likely to buy an electric vehicle at some point than older adults. More than half of those under 45 say they are at least "somewhat" likely to consider buying an electric vehicle. About 32% of those over 45 are more likely to buy an electric vehicle, according to the survey.

But only 21% of U.S. adults say they are "very" or "extremely" likely to buy an electric vehicle as their next car, according to the survey, and 21% say it is somewhat likely. Concerns about cost are widespread, as are other practical concerns.

Range anxiety -- the idea that electric vehicles won't go far enough on a single charge, leaving drivers stranded -- remains a major reason many Americans don't buy electric vehicles.

About half of U.S. adults cite range concerns as the main reason they won't buy an electric vehicle. About 4 in 10 say a major disadvantage of electric vehicles is that charging takes too long or they don't know of any public charging stations nearby.

Range concerns are leading some to consider gasoline-powered hybrids that allow driving even when the battery is dead. Jud, a 33-year-old operations specialist and politically independent, said a hybrid would be "more than adequate for my shopping around town, taking my son to school" and other uses.

With electric vehicle prices falling, cost would not be a factor, Jud said -- a minority opinion among respondents. Nearly 6 in 10 adults cite cost as the main reason they wouldn't buy an electric vehicle.

Among older adults, price is a bigger concern.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price for a new electric vehicle was $52,314 in February. That's down 12.8% from a year ago, but still higher than the average price for all new vehicles of $47,244, the report said.

About half of U.S. adults cite range concerns as a primary reason not to buy an electric vehicle. About 4 in 10 say a primary reason against electric vehicles is that charging takes too long or they don't know of any public charging stations nearby.

Range concerns are leading some to consider gasoline-powered hybrids that allow driving even when the battery is dead. Jud, a 33-year-old operations specialist and politically independent, said a hybrid would be "more than enough for my shopping around town, taking my son to school" and other uses.

As electric vehicle prices fall, cost would not be a factor, Jud said -- a minority opinion among respondents. Nearly 6 in 10 adults cite cost as the primary reason they would not buy an electric vehicle.

Price is a bigger issue among older adults.

The average price of a new electric vehicle was $52,314 in February, according to Kelley Blue Book. That's down 12.8% from a year ago, but still higher than the average price for all new vehicles of $47,244, the report said.

Jose Valdez of San Antonio owns three electric vehicles, including a new Mustang Mach-E. With a tax credit and other incentives, the sleek new car costs about $49,000, Valdez said. He thinks it's worth the money.

"People think they cost a fortune, but once they drive an electric vehicle, they'll have a different mindset," said Valdez, a retired state maintenance worker.

The 45-year-old Republican said he doesn't believe in climate change. "I'm more concerned about saving green dollars," he said, adding that he loves the electric vehicle's smooth ride and the fact that he doesn't have to pay for gas or maintenance. Electric vehicles have fewer parts than gasoline-powered cars and are generally less expensive to maintain. Valdez installed his home charger himself for less than $700 and uses it for all three family cars, the Mustang and two older Ford hybrids.

With a recently purchased converter, he can also charge at a nearby Tesla Supercharger station, Valdez said.

About half of those who say they live in rural areas cite a lack of charging infrastructure as the main reason for not buying an electric vehicle, compared with 4 in 10 of those who live in urban communities.

Daphne Boyd of Ocala, Florida, has no interest in owning an electric vehicle. There are few public charging stations near her rural home, “and electric vehicles don’t make environmental sense,” she said, citing the precious metals that must be mined to make batteries, including in some countries where child labor or other unsafe conditions exist. She also worries that heavy electric vehicle batteries increase tire wear and make the cars less efficient. Experts say extra battery weight can wear out tires, but that proper maintenance and careful driving can extend tire life.

Boyd, a 54-year-old Republican and self-described farmer, said electric vehicles could eventually make economic and environmental sense, but "they're not where they need to be yet" to convince her to buy one now or in the near future.

Ruth Mitchell, a novelist from Eureka Springs, Arkansas, loves her electric vehicle. "It's wonderful -- quiet, great acceleration, cheap to drive. I rave about it on Facebook," she said.

Mitchell, a 70-year-old Democrat, charges her Chevy Volt hybrid at home but says there are several public charging stations near her house. She's not looking for a new car, Mitchell said, but if she does buy one, it will be an electric car: "I'm not going to drive anything else."

The AP-NORC poll of 6,265 adults was conducted March 26 through April 10, 2024, using a combined sample of interviews from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to be representative of the U.S. population, and interviews from opt-in online panels. The margin of error for all respondents is plus or minus 1.7 percentage points. The AmeriSpeak panel is randomly recruited using address-based sampling methods, and respondents were later interviewed online or by phone.