Consumers’ rationale for buying a car is for “freedom of movement, mobility and convenience,” said Chet Thompson, president and chief executive of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers trade group. It is unsurprising that range anxiety is a key concern about electric vehicles, he said, “particularly if an electric vehicle is ever going to be your primary car.”
Most adults also said that the higher price tag attached to an electric vehicle would make them less likely to purchase one. For example, Tesla Inc.’s Model 3 sedan, its lower-priced car intended for a wider audience, retails at over $35,000, compared to the 2019 Toyota Prius L Eco hybrid, which has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $23,770. The Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid costs more, at $27,350. By comparison, a 2019 Nissan Altima with an internal combustion engine retails at $24,000.
Sixty-nine percent of likely hybrid buyers identified higher upfront car costs as a downside, compared to 62 percent of likely electric vehicle buyers.
Potential savings on gas costs constitute the top potential perk of an electric vehicle purchase, according to the poll, with 73 percent of all adults saying they were more likely to buy an electric vehicle in light of that benefit.
And majorities of adults said the potential to reduce their emissions and nab a tax credit make them more likely to buy an electric vehicle. But 84 percent of all adults said they are unaware of whether state-specific incentives to electric vehicle buyers are offered where they live. Currently, 20 states offer incentives such as tax breaks or rebates for electric cars, according to Tesla.
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