Are electric vehicles starting to finally catch on? For many years we’ve seen a lot of forced incentives, rebates, pressure, and even some mandates that you can’t have a gas car anymore,  you have to buy an electric vehicle. Many consumers are fighting back, kicking and screaming that they don’t want an EV, they want to keep their gas cars. However, there may be some signs that electric vehicles are starting to be more accepted. 

Here’s an article from Auto Remarketing that says a survey uncovers gradual growth in EV appeal. Well, that sounds like a good headline but what are the actual numbers? Well, the number of people who consider themselves likely or extremely likely to consider purchasing an EV is up from 52% to 59%. That’s not a huge increase, it’s a few percentage points but it shows that half of the people are at least somewhat or extremely likely to consider an electric vehicle.

Here’s a big one, the number of people who rejected the idea of EVs and considered themselves somewhat or extremely unlikely to consider an EV went down from 24% to 19%. And even though the percentage digits are only five points, It’s a 20% reduction in the volume. Five points over 25, that’s like maybe one-fifth, so that’s going down. 

A third of consumers now say they are much more likely to consider purchasing an EV due to gas prices. That’s up from 27%. That’s a pretty significant number. The concerns about EVs are dropping. The proportion of consumers concerned about the cost of charge is down from 54% to 42%. 

Look these aren’t blow-away numbers, these aren’t numbers that say everybody now wants an EV but it means that there’s some momentum, that things are starting to move. There may be some loosening of the resistance to it. Maybe it’s because they’re trying to be forced onto consumers. Maybe it’s because of gas prices, or maybe it’s because it’s just been out there long enough that people are more amenable to it. We’ve seen it in the used car market. Used electric vehicles are now more likely to be considered. 

Tell us what you think. Has your opinion about electric vehicles changed in recent months or this year? What would it take for you to be solidly an EV buyer or is it never going to happen? What would happen if you live in a state like California or some other state that banned gasoline vehicles which force you to buy an electric, how would that change your life? What would you do? Would you move to another state? Would it be impossible to live your life the way it is now with electric vehicles or would you be able to get by? 

Electric vehicles are a huge revolution in consumer purchases and in the automotive industry. So recognizing what consumers and the population think of it is an important thing for you to make plans about your purchases your life or even your business if you’re at all related to that profession.