New research from Parks Associates’ consumer study of 8,000 US internet households finds electric vehicle (EV) ownership has seen a slight decline, with 5%, or six million internet households, reporting ownership. The firm’s latest research, EV Charging at Home: User Demand and Preferences, shows the familiarity with EVs increased in 2019, peaking before the pandemic, and has since been decreasing.

“Inflation and interest rates are up, and consumers perceive electric vehicles as expensive, challenging to charge outside the home, and limited in range,” said Daniel Holcomb, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “With many car manufacturers scaling back ambitions on EV production, familiarity has dropped to 19%, a low not seen since 2018. At the same time, current EV and hybrid owners, among the most affluent consumer segments, have the highest purchase intentions to buy an EV, which indicates a relatively flat growth rate for the near future.”

“Industry players must counter consumer perceptions as well as economic headwinds,” Holcomb said. “Our research shows key inhibitors are the perceived cost and lack of charging stations — 65% of consumers shopping for a vehicle cite at least one of three charging-related factors as a reason not to buy an EV. Companies in this space need to use aggressive strategies to bring in new customers, with deals that account for the current economic climate, and with an expansion of available charging stations to ensure users have the convenience, accessibility, and peace of mind they want when buying a car.”

From the article, "EV Battery & Charging News: Parks Associates, Berger, Electrify America, Toyota, Blue Bird, Cummins, Sakuu, SK, bp Pulse, VW, QuantumScape & Panasonic Energy" by Lynn Walford