There is no question that we are in an economically crazy time. With the war in Ukraine coupled with supply chain issues and the typical summer bump in gas prices, the price of gas has skyrocketed. This has many looking to electric cars – yet most Americans still aren’t making the switch. These are the reasons why.
Why Americans Aren’t Ready To Switch To Electric Cars
Electric cars are not a new invention. In fact, they’ve been around for quite some time. Though initially cost prohibitive, now there are more affordable options available on the market. Despite this, and the extreme hike in gas prices, most Americans still say they aren’t ready to make the switch to electric vehicles. So what gives?
Consumer Reports surveyed 8,000 people about their thoughts on buying electric cars. Of those surveyed, only 36% said that they would “definitely” or “seriously consider” buying electric for their next vehicle purchase. The main concerns as to why they wouldn’t aren’t overly surprising. People are worried about the logistics of where and when they could charge an electric vehicle. (1)
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The Numbers
When it comes down to it, most Americans are simply worried that electric cars – and the infrastructure to support them – just aren’t ready. The top concerns that people cited as preventing them from making the jump were as follows:
– 61% charging logistics
– 55% of the number of miles an electric car can go per charge
– 52% of the costs of buying and maintaining electric cars
Other reasons include a global microchip shortage and the risk of battery fire. (2)
Charging Logistics
Concerns over charging logistics aren’t without reason. Currently, there are about 49,000 public charging stations across the country. Truthfully, that isn’t very many in comparison to the size and population of the United States. President Biden has said that he will build out a national network of 500,000 charging stations, which could help alleviate people’s concerns.
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Number of Miles Per Charge
Naturally, people want to get at least the same mileage out of their electric cars as they do out of their gas ones. The distance that each car can go on one charge is important – especially when there are parts of the country where charging ports are few and far between. After all, no one wants to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, stranded because their electric car died. That, or have their car die while sitting in traffic. Electric cars now promise better and better distances per charge, but change is difficult and still there are many skeptics.
Costs
In the beginning, electric cars were essentially luxury-only (hello, Tesla). However, now there are more everyday, economical options like the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Bolt, to name a few. On average, however, electric cars are still higher in price than gas. Electric car advocates argue that you will save money in the long run, however, on service and maintenance costs. Combine that with the current price of gas and you may just be correct.