PROVIDENCE – Drivers in the region, including some in Rhode Island, are prone to a case of “EV anxiety” when purchasing their next vehicle, according to a recent survey by AAA Northeast.
The survey, released last week, found that just 14% of more than 1,700 respondents across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey “definitely” plan to buy or lease electric when looking at their next vehicle. By comparison, 42% are “not interested at all.”
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Another 44% of those surveyed fell somewhere in the middle, with 17% indicating they were very interested, 15% slightly interested and 12% moderately interested.
EV anxiety comes as unwelcome news to state officials, who have encouraged electric vehicle ownership as a greener alternative to gas-powered vehicles. It’s also an issue auto manufacturers can’t ignore, said Alec Slatky, managing director of public and government affairs for AAA Northeast.
“Auto manufacturers hoping to boost EV sales over the next decade have reason for optimism,” Slatky said in a statement. “But industry stakeholders seeking a complete long-term transition to electric face serious obstacles – especially from consumers who have no desire to make the switch.”
Drawing from additional survey questions, AAA found that leading causes of EV anxiety stem from fear of driving an electric vehicle, operational differences that create “a different feel” when driving, and concerns about public charging station locations, charging times and safety. The survey did not ask if cost was a concern.
Among those surveyed who don’t own and never plan to buy an electric vehicle, 65% said they had concerns about the availability of charging stations. Sixty-six percent of respondents in this group also said they were concerned about charging station reliability; 67% were concerned about price; 65% were concerned about safety; and 61% had concerns about charging station speeds.
As for charging times, AAA Northeast found that most respondents who use public charging stations, at 21%, reported that charging took 21-30 minutes. Trailing behind that response, 15% of respondents said that public charging stations took over an hour.
Slatky said that drivers can assuage their EV anxieties through steps such as taking an electric vehicle for a test drive at a car dealership and starting slow when driving an electric vehicle for the first time.
But the onus doesn’t rest solely on drivers, Slatky said, noting that improved infrastructure availability also encourages electric vehicle use.
“Public charging needs to approximate the convenience of gas stations if electric vehicle boosters want to convince interested consumers to take the plunge – to say nothing of the passionate holdouts,” Slatky said. “Though EV owners tend to do most of their charging at home if they can, buyers want to feel assured that their car can manage road trips just as easily as daily routines.”
AAA Northeast included plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles in its overall definition of an electric vehicle, alongside a breakdown of interest in both types of vehicles.
Those who answered “not interested at all” were more amenable to a plug-in hybrid, compared to an all-electric vehicle. Forty-eight percent of respondents said they had no interest in a hybrid, compared with the 61% who said they wouldn’t consider a fully electric vehicle.
But at 11%, those who “definitely” plan to purchase an electric vehicle had a stronger preference for fully electric, compared with the 6% who plan to buy or lease a hybrid.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
