Survey Claims 1 In 5 U.S. Drivers Would Consider An EV As Their Next Car

A study from the AAA (American Automobile Association) reports that 20 per cent of car owners in the United States have stated that they would likely opt for an EV when they make their next vehicle purchase, up from 15 per cent in 2017.

The survey revealed that 63 per cent of respondents unsure or unwilling to purchased an electric vehicle for their next car don’t believe there are enough places to charge such vehicles. Additionally, 58 per cent expressed concerns over running out of juice while driving. While these figures show that range anxiety is still a major issue, the number is, again, 15 per cent lower than 2017.

According to the AAA, range anxiety is less of a concern for Millennials (48 per cent) compared to 64 per cent of Gen Xers and 66 per cent of Baby Boomers.

Interestingly, the survey also revealed that just 34 per cent of those who responded are bothered about style, color, and design of their vehicles, while only 33 per cent are concerned about the brand of the vehicle. Of more importance to new car buyers considering electric vehicles and hybrids are crash ratings (77 per cent), cost (71 per cent), acceleration and handling (69 per cent), and advanced safety technologies (60 per cent).

The AAA study also found that 68 per cent of Americans consider charging times of no more than 30 minutes to be a reasonable amount of time to wait for an EV to be topped up. AAA director of Automotive Engineering Greg Brannon believes this is because most drivers are used to the quick fill ups enjoyed by petrol and diesel vehicles, but notes that EV charging times are quickly coming down.