Advertisement

More car buyers ready to consider EVs, but lack of charging access remains a hurdle

New electric vehicle offerings, including pickups, appear to be pushing more consumers to seriously consider buying an EV, but a lack of charging access is a key reason some shoppers say they aren't interested, according to a new survey.

Almost a quarter (24%) of shoppers surveyed in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration Study being released Thursday say they are "very likely" to consider an EV for their next purchase or lease, according to a news release.

That's a 4% increase of those who are "very likely" to consider an EV compared with 2021, the first year of the study.

Weak charging: The dash for power: As electric vehicle sales surge, public charging stations in the U.S. lag

Condo, apartment struggle: 'Extraordinarily frustrated': Renters can find no place to plug in electric vehicles

Homeowners more likely to consider buying an EV

“The addition of new EV models has moved the needle on consumer consideration,” Stewart Stropp, senior director of automotive retail at J.D. Power, said in the release. "In fact, several new models from perennial mass market brands are at the top of that consideration list."

Geno Effler, a J.D. Power spokesman, said the names of the specific new models are proprietary and can't be shared.

The release noted that "more remains to be done in terms of transitioning from early to mass adoption" because more than three-quarters of shoppers surveyed are not "very likely" to consider an EV.

The study also highlighted an economic divide in EV consideration.

"There is a substantially higher ratio of shoppers who own their home who say they are 'very likely to consider' an EV (27%) than those who rent (17%). Not only are homeowners more affluent, on average, but are more likely to be able to charge an EV at their residence," the release said. "Perhaps most tellingly, 34% of those who indicate they are unlikely to consider purchasing an EV say they lack access to any charging capabilities at home or work."

Climate justice: Electric vehicles for everyone? Climate justice programs help people of color, low-income Americans get moving

Longest delivery: Electric delivery van sets Guinness World Record with 258 miles on a single charge

Few consumers are familiar with EVs

Those kinds of differences demonstrate some of the challenges ahead as the auto industry pushes forward with its electrification plans. Limited charging infrastructure and income inequity are not factors that can be addressed by getting more EVs in showrooms.

But familiarity with EVs makes a big difference, too, showing that automakers likely have opportunities to increase interest.

"Only 11% of study respondents who had no personal experience at all with EVs say they are 'very likely' to consider an EV," the release said. "That percentage more than doubles to 24% among those new-vehicle shoppers who have simply been a passenger in an EV and rises to 34% among those who have driven an EV."

The release highlighted other findings from the study:

  • "Some 37% of premium vehicle owners indicate they are 'very likely' to consider an EV for their next purchase, versus 21% among those who currently own mass market vehicles."

  • (But) the year-over-year increase in those who say they are 'very likely' to consider an EV is up 6 percentage points among owners of mass market vehicles and up 1 percentage point among owners of premium vehicles.

  • Nearly one-third (30%) of rejecters cite a lack of information as a reason for their lack of consideration. Because firsthand experience with EV technology is still not entirely commonplace, shoppers need to be better informed about the ownership experience they offer.

  • Some 31% of those in the West say they are 'very likely' to consider an EV. Surprisingly, the South (26%) tops the Northeast (22%) among those who say they are 'very likely' to consider an EV. The (Midwest) is at 22%."

The study is based on responses from 10,030 consumers from February through April, the release said.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Electric vehicles: More consumers would consider EVs; barriers remain