About 40% of Americans say they are at least somewhat likely to go electric the next time they buy a car. That’s according to a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the University of Chicago.
It also finds that the main barrier for most people to buying an electric vehicle is the sticker price. But driving an electric car is cheaper than driving a gas car.
And Sam Ori at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute said that is a big motivator.
“Seventy-four percent of Americans say that saving money on gas is the top reason why they would consider purchasing an electric vehicle,” he said. Saving the climate is also a big motivator, but not as big as saving money.
“At the same time, it’s not just about the operating costs, there’s also the upfront costs,” Ori added. “And we know that electric vehicles tend to be a few thousand dollars more than their comparable gasoline vehicle.” And that is the top deterrent for potential buyers.