Limited charging stations and high costs are causing the majority of Americans to hold off on their transition to electric vehicles.
According to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago, some 19% of Americans say they are “very” or “extremely” likely to go electric for their next vehicle purchase; 22% say it is “somewhat likely.”
About half the poll respondents – 47% – say it’s “not likely” they would purchase an electric vehicle.
Despite the $7,500 tax credit for new EV purchases in the Inflation Reduction Act, cost is the largest hurdle for consumers considering the switch. About 83% of respondents cited it as a concern; vehicle appraisal source Kelley Blue Book estimated the average new EV sold for $65,291 in September 2022 compared to $48,094 for a gas-powered car at the same time.
Three-quarters of those polled also cited charging station availability as a reason they are hesitant to switch to an EV.
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The Biden Administration set a goal in December 2021 to install 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations on highway routes across the country. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law designated $5 billion in funding to develop the charging infrastructure.
An additional two-thirds cite a preference for gasoline-powered vehicles as a reason to not make the transition.
The poll conducted by AP-NORC tallied responses from 5,408 adults between Jan. 31 and Feb. 15. Notably, it was collected before the Biden Administration’s proposed new tailpipe emission standards earlier this month that encourage the transition to electric vehicles to combat greenhouse gas emissions.
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