https://autos.yahoo.com/interest-evs-lowest-level-since-040100639.html
By Mary Corey
Interest in electric vehicles has sunk to its lowest level since 2019, according to a consumer survey commissioned by AAA.
Only 16 percent of respondents reported being “likely” or “very likely” to purchase an electric vehicle as their next car.
“While the automotive industry is committed to long-term electrification and providing a diverse range of models, underlying consumer hesitation remains,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering for AAA.
Respondents ― 62 percent ― cited high battery repair costs as a main reason for not going fully electric. However, EV batteries may have longer lives than previously thought, according to a study from the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center. The researchers found that real-world driving conditions are less degenerative to EV batteries than lab tests, meaning the batteries will have to be replaced less frequently than some worried customers might fear.
Concern about purchase price was cited by 59 percent of the respondents as a barrier to going fully electric. In March, the average transaction price for a new EV was $59,205, significantly higher than the overall average transaction price for the same month of $47,462, according to Cox Automotive.
Other top concerns customers expressed in this year’s survey were battery related, including a lack of convenient public charging stations, 56 percent and fear of running out of charge while driving, 55 percent. And 57 percent voiced concern about perceived unsuitability of EVs for long-distance travel.
