Americans’ interest in purchasing electric vehicles appears to be powering down.
Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults, 63%, report that they are “very unlikely” or “unlikely” to buy a fully electric vehicle, the largest percentage since 2022, according to a recent annual consumer sentiment survey on EVs from the auto club AAA.
Similarly, just 16% of American consumers say they would be “very likely” or “likely” to purchase an EV, the smallest percentage since 2019, while 21% said they are “neither likely nor unlikely” to do so.
The unwillingness to switch to an EV can be attributed to various factors, such as the cost of an EV, high battery repair costs and the range an electric vehicle can travel on a single charge, according to AAA.
But it’s impossible to ignore the degree to which political considerations have colored the debate over electric vehicles. Other factors that the auto club cites, like the lack of accessible public charging stations and the reduction or elimination of tax credits and rebates, highlight the precarious position the electric vehicle industry finds itself in amid President Donald Trump’s return to office and Republicans’ control of Congress.