The results of a new national survey by the American Automobile Association (AAA) show that as gasoline prices across the United States soar to record highs, a quarter of Americans surveyed said they would be willing to make an electric car their next purchase.
The survey results show that millennials are most eager to travel in electric vehicles, with 30 percent of the group saying they plan to purchase an electric vehicle next. Of those looking to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle, 77 percent of the group said their interest in purchasing was primarily due to fuel cost savings.
The authoritative organization last measured Americans’ interest in buying electric vehicles in 2019, when about 16 percent of the group said they were likely to buy an electric vehicle. The AAA said it has surveyed and consulted with 1,051 U.S. drivers online and by phone since February, a study with a margin of error of about 4 percent.
However, there are data that show consumers don’t necessarily act on their buying interests. Statistics from research firm Cox Automotive show that only about 3.2 percent of U.S. vehicle sales in 2021 will be electric vehicles. In 2019, there will be a very limited number of plug-in electric vehicles available, but the level of interest reported in the above survey suggests that electric vehicle purchases are gaining momentum and that the increasing availability of electric vehicles will likely also boost electric vehicle sales as automakers invest more than $500 billion in scaling new models to market.
U.S. gasoline prices reached a record $5.02 per gallon last month and have since stabilized at an average of $4.66 per gallon, $1.51 higher than a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations, said in a statement, “Continued high international gas prices over the past six months have prompted consumers to consider electric vehicles, especially millennials, who are looking for ways to save money.”
However, consumers are not yet thoroughly convinced. The survey shows that most respondents still have concerns about the costs associated with electric vehicles and the availability of charging posts.
