More than a quarter of Americans say they won’t buy an electric vehicle, according to a Consumer Reports survey released on Thursday.
Price, range and accessibility to charging stations remain the main barriers to buying an electric vehicle. But Consumer Reports identified a new factor: a lack of education around electric vehicles.
The survey of 8,027 adults found that 14% would definitely buy or rent an electric-only vehicle, 57% would consider one and 28% would not consider buying an electric-only vehicle. Age, income and education correlate with willingness to drive one.
According to the survey, a lack of education about tax incentives, environmental impact and how electric vehicles work are key factors in electric vehicle adoption. Nearly half of Americans (46%) have not heard of any incentives for electric vehicle owners.
“Some of us have questions about the transition to electric vehicles, as many of us are unfamiliar with them,” said Dr. Quinta Warren, vice president of sustainability policy at Consumer Reports. “Expanding charging options and enhancing incentives, combined with educational campaigns and engaging more people for personalized electric vehicle experiences, can all help drive adoption. “
When asked about the top three concerns for buying or renting an EV, 61% of respondents said they were worried about the logistics charges, 55% said they would be worried about the number of kilometers the vehicle had. can go before charging is needed, and 52% cite the costs associated with buying, owning and maintaining an EV.
