By Muhammed Hashim 
Only four percent say that they would consider a plug-in hybrid vehicle after having an electric vehicle
- The study questioned over 23,000 electric vehicle drivers from across 18 different countries.
- Only 1 percent of respontends said they would be going back to a pure ICE vehicle
- Most prefer the platform for its low operating costs, but many have issues with charging.
Electric vehicle adoption rates fluctuate wildly sometimes. What doesn’t move around so much is loyalty after a person owns an EV. According to a new study, 92 percent of respondents said they would never go back to an ICE car. In fact, of all the available options, only one percent of the study population said they’d definitely go back to an ICE-only platform. As for the remaining 7 percent, 4 percent indicated they’d opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and the rest weren’t sure.
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Notably, the survey comes from the Global EV Alliance (via Bloomberg) which, as its name might suggest, probably isn’t the most unbiased group when it comes to electric vehicles. It says online that “We believe that zero emission mobility is necessary to combat climate change,” and that “Our goal is a planet where all transportation is sustainable, clean, and electric!”
A Global Perspective on EV Trends
On the other hand, the study itself appears rather transparent. It includes responses from over 23,000 electric vehicle drivers in 18 countries including the USA, Canada, Austria, Brazil, France and India. On top of that, it weighs results based on each country’s share of the total EV fleet across the globe. This means that the results from the USA get weighted higher than those of, say, Sweden. That’s key because, in some smaller nations like Sweden, EV adoption rates are incredibly high.
By weighing the results, we get a more accurate picture of the reality EV owners are living in. According to almost all of them, electric cars are all they’ll buy from this point forward and that’s not all because of climate concerns either. Instead, nearly half of respondents (45 percent) championed the low operating cost of an EV when compared to a gas or diesel-powered car.
Climate friendliness was the second-biggest draw (40 percent), followed by helping the local environment (32 percent), solid driveability (21 percent), and lower maintenance costs (18 percent). In short: they’re cheaper to own, better to drive, and won’t leave your wallet crying every time you pull into a charging station (assuming it works, but we’ll get to that circus later).
Charging Woes Cast a Shadow
Here’s the part where the love affair stumbles: charging infrastructure. Or, more specifically, the lack of it. The study revealed that the biggest downside of driving an EV is the availability – or frequent unavailability – of fast chargers. This explains why Tesla, with its expansive Supercharger network, continues to dominate among buyers.
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“When being asked about the disadvantages of driving an EV, the results indicate that the most significant drawbacks are the limited availability of fast chargers, the time-consuming nature of charging, and the frequent downtime of fast charging stations,” the study says. Certainly, that’s a major issue in the USA and clearly, Americans aren’t alone.
Your Turn: Tell Us What You Think
Are you on the EV bandwagon yet? Or are you holding out for a fast-charging network that’s as reliable as your toaster and as conveniently located as your corner gas station? Whether you’re an EV diehard or still clutching your ICE keys like a security blanket, we want to hear from you. What’s your favorite thing about EVs, and what grinds your gears (figuratively, of course)? Drop your hot takes in the comments below. We’ll be here, pretending we’re not refreshing every five minutes for responses.
