{"id":136250,"date":"2019-05-09T00:01:22","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T04:01:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=136250"},"modified":"2019-05-08T23:28:39","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T03:28:39","slug":"barely-one-in-six-americans-likely-to-buy-an-ev-next-time-theyre-in-the-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2019\/05\/barely-one-in-six-americans-likely-to-buy-an-ev-next-time-theyre-in-the-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Barely One in Six Americans \u201cLikely\u201d to Buy an EV Next Time They\u2019re in the Market"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Jaguar I-Pace is one of the winners of AAA's annual Top Green Vehicle Award.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Less than one in six Americans say they\u2019d give serious consideration to buying an all-electric vehicle next time they\u2019re in the market for a new car, truck or crossover, according to a new AAA study, a finding that could spell trouble for the automakers ready to launch dozens of new battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs, over the next several years.<\/p>\n

The good news for the industry is that as many as 40 million Americans say they\u2019d at least consider the merits of an all-electric model. But, according to the study released today, U.S. motorists remain confused about both the benefits and limitations of battery-cars.<\/p>\n

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Green Car News!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cToday, more than 200,000 electric cars can be found on roads across the country as almost every manufacturer sells them,\u201d said Greg Brannon, AAA\u2019s director of Automotive Engineering. \u201cBut, like other new vehicle technologies, Americans don\u2019t have the full story and that could be causing the gap between interest and action.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Tesla cars can now diagnose problems and even pre-order repair parts. <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for the story.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>Virtually every automaker now offers a mix of battery-based vehicles, including hybrids and plug-ins, but the big push over the next few years will see BEVs start to fill showrooms. These cover the full spectrum of products, from sports cars like the Porsche Taycan to SUVs like the Audi e-tron to the all-electric pickups coming from Ford, General Motors, Tesla and start-up Rivian.<\/p>\n

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New products, like this Hyundai Kona Electric, are helping drive down the cost of EVs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These second-generation models are beginning to address key obstacles like range and price. A number of new offerings will be coming in at $40,000 or less, even before factoring in government incentives. And the typical battery-car going forward is expected to deliver a minimum of 200 miles between charges, while some are promising range closer to 400 miles.<\/p>\n

But that message isn\u2019t necessarily getting out to potential buyers, according to the AAA, a summary of the report cautioning that, \u201cMany consumers are not sure what to expect from an electric vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, not all the potential obstacles to acceptance are going away, at least not for at least a few years. While charger companies like EVgo, ChargePoint and Electrify America \u2013 as well as Tesla — are spending billions of dollars to create a nationwide charging infrastructure, the ability to plug in when the battery is low remains a serious concern to American motorists.<\/p>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> to see how $2b from VW’s settlement of its diesel emissions scandal is helping Electrify America.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fully six in 10 of those surveyed raised that issue as a reason they are unlikely, or at least unsure about buying a BEV. Fifty-seven percent said they think electric vehicles aren\u2019t suitable for long-distance travel.<\/p>\n

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A Chevrolet Bolt is plugged into an Electrify America charger. The company is one of several aiming to set up a national network of charging stations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Concerns about the environment help inform which motorists are more likely to consider a battery-car, and that tends to focus on younger Americans. But energy costs are also a factor. A sizable number of buyers said they\u2019d be more prone to plug in were gas prices to top $5 a gallon. That was far more the case among Millennials than Baby Boomers, according to AAA.<\/p>\n

On the whole, only 42% of those surveyed said they expect most cars sold a decade from now will be electric. On the other hand, a majority said they expect autonomous vehicles to be the norm by 2029. That\u2019s ironic, said Brannon, because most autonomous vehicles are expected to use electric propulsion.<\/p>\n

Among those who said they\u2019d be interested in buying an electric vehicle:<\/p>\n