GCR: Poll suggests more Americans might buy an EV—if only they had a place to charge

https://www.greencarreports.com/new...t-buy-an-evif-only-they-had-a-place-to-charge

. . . In the poll conducted last October, which surveyed 1,510 drivers in the U.S. during the middle of October, including 250 electric-car drivers, 74 percent of all respondents agreed that electric cars are the future. Among EV drivers, the number rose to 79 percent.

The biggest obstacle wasn't range but available charging infrastructure: 61 percent of respondents cited more charging infrastructure as the biggest factor holding back their purchase, similar to the 58 percent who say their biggest concern is running out of power. The same

Concern about not being able to find a charging station was the second biggest obstacle for buyers considering purchasing an EV at 49 percent.
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Electrify America is rolling out quickly across the country. Others like EVgo and ChargePoint are expanding rapidly as well. Very soon, this argument will be much less relevant. I suspect that a large number of people still won't buy EVs due to the upfront cost premium.

GetOffYourGas said:

I suspect that a large number of people still won't buy EVs due to the upfront cost premium.

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And then there are those who will be reluctant to buy one, even if it meets 99% of their needs, because "OMG what if I have to make that last minute 400 mile road trip?"

RonDawg said:

GetOffYourGas said:

I suspect that a large number of people still won't buy EVs due to the upfront cost premium.

Click to expand...

And then there are those who will be reluctant to buy one, even if it meets 99% of their needs, because "OMG what if I have to make that last minute 400 mile road trip?"

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Well, that was the premise of the original article, was it not? As I said (in the portion of my comment that you conveniently removed), EA, EVgo, ChargePoint, and others are quickly making this point moot.

RonDawg said:

because "OMG what if I have to make that last minute 400 mile road trip?"

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On the 16th I had to make a last minute 400 mile road trip -- my father ended up in the hospital (at 97 that isn't a good place to be). He's fine, and I only stayed overnight. But it was literally 30 minutes from when my sister called me to when I was in the car driving.

The good news is that with the right car and the right infrastructure, a last minute 400 mile road trip isn't even a problem. My S was at 65% charge when I departed so I had to make two SuperCharge stops on the way there. The hospital was just 2 miles from the new SC on LI, so plugged in the car and took a Lyft to the hospital, and returned about 2 hours later to pick it up (that SC is always full of locals doing their weekend charging, so it was initially charging slow at a shared stall).

Meh, this is just an excuse people give in denial of the real answer that they can't afford a new car, EV or otherwise. Same reason I woudn't want a megayacht, too many marinas I like to go can't accommodate them.

GetOffYourGas said:

RonDawg said:

GetOffYourGas said:

I suspect that a large number of people still won't buy EVs due to the upfront cost premium.

Click to expand...

And then there are those who will be reluctant to buy one, even if it meets 99% of their needs, because "OMG what if I have to make that last minute 400 mile road trip?"

Click to expand...

Well, that was the premise of the original article, was it not? As I said (in the portion of my comment that you conveniently removed), EA, EVgo, ChargePoint, and others are quickly making this point moot.

Click to expand...

Well, not exactly. There are folks who still want the ease of refueling of an ICEV, even if 99% of their needs can be met by any EV currently on the market. And until technology allows you to regain 300-400 miles worth of range in 5 minutes of less, and the density of such charging stations equals or exceeds that of gas stations, such folks are always going to use that as an excuse.

Frankly, I think that people are lying to the polls. They don't have a rational reason (or it's the reason above about last minute long trips) and either the poll offers lack of charging as an easy, guilt-free answer (very likely), or they just see something in the text of the poll that suggests it to them as an easy answer.

Judging from the breakdown of the answers, I'd say people were being honest. Some are undoubtedly working from incorrect info and/or personal biases, but that's true of any poll.

I have had some one where I work ask where I charge mine lol.
So I can see that.
Since 2010 I have only had one unscheduled long trip. If our only cars were electric we could just rent a car.