J.D. Power Study: More car buyers are considering electric vehicles

J.D. Power released the results of its 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration Study this week, revealing that more consumers are considering buying electric vehicles while hesitations persist. The study showed that the number of respondents stating they are “very likely” to consider purchasing an electric vehicle as their next vehicle rose 4% from last year, ending at 24%. 

The increase in electric vehicle interest is likely due to newer models in the works. J.D. Power’s Senior Director of automotive retail Stewart Stropp said that “the addition of new EV models has moved the needle on consumer consideration” and that “several new models from perennial mass-market brands are at the top of that consideration list.”

In the past, electric vehicles and hybrids were considered small, compact vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, but new models gaining interest include trucks like the electric Ford F-150 and Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 crossover.  

Despite the reported increase in interest, Stropp said that 76% of respondents still said they are “not very likely” to consider an electric vehicle for their next vehicle. One of the most prominent reasons for the hesitation reportedly included consumers’ skepticism of where to charge their cars, as 34% of this group said they have no feasible way to charge an electric vehicle at home or their office.  

The study found that more affluent people were more likely to consider an electric vehicle, and 30% of respondents indicated they are unknowledgeable about electric vehicles and are not informed enough to consider one. This week’s report also said that consumers in the Western U.S. are more likely to consider an electric vehicle than those in the South or Northeast. 

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