More than a quarter of Americans say they don’t want to buy an electric car, according to a survey by Consumer Reports released Thursday.
Price, range and access to charging stations are still the main barriers to buying an electric car. But Consumer Reports has identified a new factor: a lack of education about EVs.
The survey of 8,027 adults found that 14% would definitely buy or lease an electric vehicle, 57% would consider one and 28% would not consider buying an electric vehicle. Age, income and education level correlated with willingness to drive a car.
A lack of education about available tax incentives, environmental impact and how an EV works is a major factor in EV adoption, according to the study. Nearly half of Americans (46%) have never heard of any incentives for EV owners.
“Some of us have questions about the transition to electric vehicles as many of us are unfamiliar with it,” said Dr. Quinta Warren, associate director of sustainability policy for Consumer Reports. “Expanding charging options and increasing incentives, combined with education campaigns and getting more people to experience EVs in person, can all help drive adoption.”
When asked about the top three concerns about buying or leasing an electric car, 61% of respondents said they were concerned about charging logistics, 55% said they would be concerned about how many miles the vehicle could travel before it needs charging and 52% mentioned the cost involved in buying, owning and maintaining an EV.