Just 4 in 10 US adults say next vehicle may be electric, poll shows
Poll respondents cited high prices, too few charging stations
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As the Biden administration pushes electric vehicles, only about four in 10 Americans say they would at least be somewhat likely to go electric for their next cars, according to a new survey.
The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago showed only 8% of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household owns or leases an electric vehicle, and the same percentage said their household has a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Just 19% of that group said it is "very" or "extremely" likely that they would purchase an electric vehicle the next time they buy a car.
Nearly half, or 47%, said it was not likely they would go electric, with 22% saying it was somewhat likely.
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An electric vehicle is plugged into a charger in Los Angeles, Aug. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File / AP Newsroom)
Respondents cited high prices, and about three-quarters said there were too few charging stations to go electric. Half said that was a major reason.
Two-thirds cited a preference for gasoline vehicles as a minor or major reason not to switch. About half of Republicans, or 54%, said that preference was a major reason not to buy an EV, with just 29% of Democrats saying the same.
Saving money on gasoline was the main factor cited by those who want to buy an EV, with around three-quarters of U.S. adults calling it a major or minor reason.
A Tesla Supercharger station sits empty Feb. 15, 2023, in Corte Madera, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Six in 10 said that the high cost is a major reason they wouldn't buy electric, and around a quarter cited it as a minor reason. Just 16% said that the high cost would not be a factor in rejecting an electric vehicle.
The poll showed that 55% of adults under 30 and 49% of adults ages 30 to 44 say they are at least somewhat likely to get an electric vehicle for their next purchase.
A motorist charges his electric vehicle at a Tesla Supercharger station in Detroit Nov. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File / AP Newsroom)
Those percentages are compared with just 31% of those 45 and older.
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Climate change is a major issue for youth around the world and was another reason why many respondents would purchase an EV, and 35% said reducing their personal impact is a major reason to do so, with 31% saying it's a minor reason.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.