4 of 5 EV owners would buy another, but maybe not from same automaker
Do people who buy electric vehicles stay with electric vehicles? Two new reports hit both sides of the issue.
One released by researchers at the University of California Davis (UCD) found that 18 per cent of electric vehicle (EV) owners, and 20 per cent of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) owners returned to gasoline vehicles. A lack of charging infrastructure was a source of dissatisfaction.
The California study used five surveys from 2015-19. In contrast, a 2021 study from J.D. Power found that 82 per cent of respondents “definitely will” consider purchasing another EV in future — but not necessarily from the same automaker.
In the UCD study, a major factor in going back to gasoline was a lack of 240-volt Level 2 charging facilities at home, which can be an issue in apartments, or houses with street parking. Half of those who had access to Level 2 home charging would continue to own a PHEV or EV.
Concerns with charging cost, reliability, range, and EV safety were about the same for everyone. Home charging pushed some over the edge.
That's not surprising, really. While study after study shows the lack of a robust public charging network to be a major obstacle for those considering an EV, the reality is that 80 per cent of vehicle charging is done at home, usually overnight. Many vehicle owners install Level 2 chargers at home.
The UCD study found that those who bought lower-range EVs were more likely to go back to gasoline. Those who owned EVs from Tesla and GM were most likely to stay with electrics, while those most likely to give them up were driving models from Fiat, Toyota, and Ford.
Perhaps most surprising was that women were most likely to go back to gasoline.