Why most Americans are reluctant to buy an electric car Surveys show that charging is a major obstacle

On July 11, a recently completed survey showed that most Americans said that their reluctance to buy electric vehicles is mainly because they are worried that the nation's charging network will not be able to meet the demand.

Most Americans surveyed by Consumer Reports earlier this year believe that charging networks are a major barrier to the adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. market.

61% of respondents said they were not very willing to buy a pure electric vehicle. These respondents said that charging network issues, including charging time and charging location, were the main factors preventing them from buying or leasing electric vehicles.

The survey, released last Thursday, showed that EV range and the cost of buying an EV could also be major obstacles. However, the Americans surveyed seemed less concerned about whether they could fix an electric car or how well it would perform in cold weather conditions.

Increasing charging facilities is a top priority for US President Joe Biden. In June, the Biden administration proposed investing $7.5 billion to build a charging network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations across the United States. However, the current number of charging stations in the United States is far from it. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are only 56,000 public charging stations for electric vehicles in the U.S. so far.

This isn't the first time Consumer Reports has identified charging networks and EV range as the main deterrents to U.S. drivers buying EVs. Last year, it was reported that one in five EV owners in California switched to using fuel vehicles because EV charging is too cumbersome.

Even drivers who stick with electric cars have similar concerns. In June this year, a reporter took an electric car for a 2,000-mile (about 3,200-kilometer) self-driving trip, and found that the availability of charging stations and the charging speed of electric vehicles increased travel time.

To survey consumers' interest in buying electric vehicles, Consumer Reports interviewed more than 8,000 U.S. adults. The survey was conducted between Jan. 27 and Feb. 18 of this year, when the American Automobile Association published the national average price of gasoline at less than $4 per gallon.

The survey found that about 71 percent of Americans surveyed would consider buying an electric vehicle, but only about 36 percent said they would definitely buy or lease one, or at least "seriously considered" buying one.

Quinta Warren, deputy director of sustainability policy at Consumer Reports, said: "The survey shows that Americans have a clear interest in reducing transportation costs and reducing environmental impact. "The survey highlighted some key issues, but fortunately, many of the barriers influencing consumers to purchase an all-electric vehicle can be addressed through prior experience and education."

In March, it was reported that consumer interest in buying pure electric vehicles was rising due to soaring oil prices. Since then, the average U.S. fuel price has soared to more than $5 a gallon.

In June, it was reported that more and more Uber drivers were also switching to electric vehicles. One Uber driver said she saved $15 a week by swapping the original Toyota Camry with a Tesla Model 3.

Warren emphasized: "Most electric vehicles are cheaper than conventional fuel vehicles of the same level. "Even considering that the purchase price of pure electric vehicles is higher than that of fuel vehicles at the same level."