NO EV FOR ME: Nearly half of American and British EV owners plan to shift back to gasoline-powered vehicles for their next purchase

07/05/2024 / By Laura Harris

Almost half of American and British electric vehicle (EV) owners plan to shift back to gasoline-powered vehicles for their next car purchase, according to a poll.

The global survey conducted by McKinsey & Company polled 36,964 car owners in 15 nations – including China, the U.S., Brazil, Japan, Korea and several European countries. It found that 49 percent of British EV owners plan to buy a gasoline-powered car next time, followed by 46 percent of American EV owners that share the same sentiment.

However, the survey found that only three out of 10 EV owners globally are likely to switch back to gasoline-powered vehicles. Among those who don’t own an electric car, 38 percent would consider buying an EV or a plug-in hybrid. Twenty-one percent said they won’t consider an EV at all.

According to Just The News, the survey sheds light on the significant hurdles EV adoption faces in the U.S. – especially with U.S. President Joe Biden’s ambitious goals. The outlet also noted that per the the McKinsey poll, high total cost of ownership and insufficient public charging infrastructure are the primary reasons for people being turned off by EVs.

The poll also noted that home charging limitations and the anxiety associated with charging availability further contribute to EV owners’ frustrations. Only a mere nine percent of respondents believe that current EV charging infrastructure is adequate. (Related: Trump vows to abolish Biden’s EV mandate that “only benefits China.”)

A separate survey of 211 charging station developers conducted by California-based software firm Xendee also revealed hang-ups with regard to EV charging infrastructure. Seventy-five percent identified electric grid limitations as one of the biggest obstacles to this endeavor. Sixty-three percent of respondents cited total infrastructure cost as a problem, while 53 percent pointed to permitting delays.

The Xendee survey also highlighted other issues, such as supply chain disruptions, financing challenges, the need for fleet-adequate solutions, engineering costs and inadequate software.

Car buyers reject Biden’s EV mandate

These problems may take a long time to be addressed, especially now that the progress of the $7.5 billion budget for millions of nationwide EV charging station networks has been slow due to supply chain issues, financing difficulties and technical hurdles such as grid capacity constraints.

The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) sought federal funds to build stations along interstates, hoping to attract EV-driving tourists despite having fewer than 800 registered EVs. However, the federal government’s one-size-fits-all approach proved problematic.

Federal guidelines required stations to be placed at specific intervals, which didn’t align with WYDOT’s vast stretches of open road. The request for exemptions was largely denied, leading to months of negotiations. Eventually, they agreed on 17 stations for $24 million over five years. Despite this, the low EV traffic means the stations are unlikely to be profitable once the funding ends.

Other states report similar issues, including meeting electricity demands, filling funding gaps and adhering to “buy American” requirements. Michigan, for instance, needs $134,000 per plug-in port, meaning its $110 million federal funding will cover only about 800 fast chargers, a fraction of the 10,000 promised by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer by 2030.

As a result, Biden’s ambitious plan to transition Americans to EVs has faced numerous hurdles. Despite mandates from several states to phase out gas-powered vehicle sales, consumer interest remains tepid. Dealerships struggling to sell EVs and automakers have scaled back EV transition plans after significant financial losses.

“We have seen a lot of Americans of all stripes reject EV mandates. They don’t want to get EVs, and the manufacturers are now responding to consumer lack of interest,” said Gabriella Hoffman, director of the Center for Energy and Conservation at Independent Women’s Forum.

Head over to FlyingCars.news for more stories about EVs.

Watch this clip from Fox News Digital about an EV owner denouncing the push for all-electric cars as “foolish.”

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.