A recent Gallup poll found Americans deeply divided in their interest in owning an electric vehicle. Party identification was far and away the biggest differentiator, followed by age. In addition, respondents living in the west were more likely to own or consider buying an EV than those in the rest of the country.
One irony is that southern “red” states have become the biggest producers of EVs even though they are the region least receptive to owning them.
Gallup’s poll analysis concluded that most Americans “are not completely sold on electric cars.” However, writer Megan Brenan (2023) noted that respondents “aren’t always the best judge of their future behavior when it comes to technology. For example, as recently as 2000, a quarter of Americans thought they’d never own a smartphone.”
Perhaps the most questionable part of Brenan’s (2023) analysis was her argument that “Americans’ adoption of electric vehicles is proving to be slow.”
For one thing, she offers no point of comparison because this is the first Gallup survey that has asked questions about EVs. In addition, she ignores data from other sources suggesting that EV sales are growing rapidly.
For example, Kelley Blue Book estimated that in the first quarter of 2023 EV sales jumped by 44.9 percent year over year and is expected to top 1 million for the first time in 2023 (Cox Automotive, 2023).
Of course, recent EV news isn’t always good. JD Power found that interest in EVs has dropped in the first three months of 2023 because of concerns such as a high purchase price and the lack of a public charging infrastructure (Lee, 2023).
Republicans are most deeply resistant to buying EVs
A whopping 71 percent of Republican respondents to the Gallup poll said they would not buy an EV, compared to only 17 percent of Democrats. Independents were closer to the Democrats on this question, with 38 percent who would not buy an EV.
Americans also differed significantly by age in their attitudes about EVs. Fifty-three percent of those 55 and older would not buy an EV. That compared with 39 percent for those 35-54, and only 25 percent for those aged 18-34.
Respondents without a college degree were somewhat more likely to say they would not buy an EV (50 percent) versus college graduates (40 percent).
Interestingly, Americans varied least in their attitudes about EVs when it came to income levels. Forty-three percent of households with total income under $40,000 would not buy an EV. That was only one point higher than households with income between $40,000 and $100,000, and only eight points higher than households with an income over $100,000 (35 percent).
Unfortunately, no data was shown that compared rural and urban respondents’ attitudes about EVs. That could shed light on perceptions about the practicalities and limitations of EVs in rural areas, such as access to charging stations.
Gallup’s results similar to another national poll on EVs
The day before the Gallup poll’s results were announced, the Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) at the Unversity of Chicago and the Associated Press-NORC Center of Public Affairs Research presented similar findings in their own survey.
Forty-one percent of respondents said they were at least somewhat likely to buy an EV the next time they purchased a car. Only 31 percent of Democrats were “not too likely” or “not at all likely” to buy an EV, which was less than half the proportion of Republicans (63 percent). Independents were once again in the middle at 49 percent (EPIC, 2023).
Also see ‘Peter DeLorenzo draws questionable lessons from automotive history’
Saving on gas, reducing one’s personal impact on climate change, and saving money on vehicle maintenance were the three top reasons why Americans would consider an EV (EPIC, 2023).
The flip side is that eight out of 10 respondents pointed to the cost of EVs as a reason why they wouldn’t buy one. However, 60 percent of Americans said that tax breaks could motivate them to purchase an EV (EPIC, 2023).
Will red state production of EVs lead to more buyers?
Environmentalists had hoped that as billions of dollars in new clean-energy investments have been made in Republican-controlled states that this would lead to greater support for the likes of EVs (Osaka, 2023). That’s not happening yet based on Gallup survey findings.
Fifty percent of respondents from the south — where a significant number of EV plants have been built — said they would not buy an EV. In contrast, only 28 percent of westerners would not buy an EV.
Climate change analyst David Roberts (2023) argued that the poll merely shows respondents “projecting identity.” He suggested that people “barely know what their current intentions are, much less future ones.”
Also see ‘Popularity of SUVs could offset climate advantages of EVs’
Perhaps, but CNN reporter Ronald Brownstein (2023) noted that opposition was hardening from Republican congressional leaders toward clean-energy initiatives even when they result in economic development.
If EVs have become part of the Republicans’ “culture war,” could Elon Musk’s recent adoption of their talking points result in Tesla gaining a sales advantage? Recent polling found Tesla’s net favorability among Republicans increased almost 4 percent from October to November of 2022, but interest in buying an EV has stayed level over the last year (Martinez, 2023).
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RE:SOURCES
- Brenan, Megan; 2023. “Most Americans Are Not Completely Sold on Electric Vehicles.” Gallup. Posted April 12.
- Brownstein, Ronald; 2023. “More green investment hasn’t softened red resistance on climate.” CNN. Posted May 2.
- Cox Automotive; 2023. “Another Record Broken: Q1 Electric Vehicle Sales Surpass 250,000, as EV Market Share in the U.S. Jumps to 7.2% of Total Sales.” Posted April 12.
- EPIC; 2023. “Findings from a 2023 Survey of Adults Age 18 and Older.” Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago and the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Posted April 11.
- Lee, Medora; 2023. “Are EV sales declining? Electrifying the car market may be getting harder. Here’s why.” USA Today. Posted May 8.
- Martinez, Julia; 2023. “Republicans Increasingly Like Tesla Thanks to Elon Musk. That Hasn’t Translated to Greater Interest in Buying EVs.” Morning Consult. Posted Jan. 17.
- Osaka, Shannon; 2023. “The unlikely center of America’s EV battery revolution.” The Washington Post. Posted April 17.
- Roberts, David; 2023. Tweets posted 3:50 p.m. and 3:55 p.m., May 3.
Questions to temper the enthusiasm for the EV adoption:
1. How much of the to date sales have been boosted because of the tax incentives to buyers? Some of these have already run out and the possibility on another extension may be questionable.
2. What happens when the EV have to pay an equivalency fee to the lost gas tax revenue to the federal and states? This is inevitable as the roads will continue to require funding. EVs contribute zero at this point.
3. Some states give a discount on the EV license fees. Since they contribute nothing to the road tax what happens when they stop?
4. Is the electrical grid anywhere close to supporting entire neighborhoods of 2 and 3 car being plugged in at the same time? How much money and how much time will it take to get this accomplished and how will something of this magnitude be paid for?
5. Related to #4 above, consider large apartment and condo complexes. Installation of hundreds of chargers in limited spaces and what that does to the power grid.
6. Steve raises a failing in the report to identify the attitude on adoption in the non-urban areas. My speculation is that these areas have limited interest.
7. What about the reports of dysfunctional charging stations?
8. What about the reports of having to wait to get a charger (sometimes caused by quantity reductions from dysfunctional chargers?
9. The range of an EV is notably affected by cold weather.
10. The EV proponents continue to skip right past that the electricity is being generated somewhere and causing pollution, even if it is not visible while at the charging station.
Go back to the early 1900s when electric lost out to gasoline powered. Be on gasoline fumes and the time to fill the tank was minimal and one was restored to full range again. The build out of the infrastructure was a privately funded operation as gas stations were not asking for government funds.
If one does any long distance driving, even if done only occasionally, the EV is ill suited for this role. In my case I want to get to the destination as soon as possible. Even if on fumes in 5 minutes I am back at full range ability. Gas stations are plentiful and not a challenge to find.
I want hydrogen-fueled vehicles (fuel-cells). Between 2015 and 2021, Indianapolis tried an EV “you-drive=it” rental program. It was a huge failure with charging stations eating up valuable parking spaces. The city and A.E.S. wanted their rate-payers to pay the charging costs, which was soundly rejected by the city-county citizens.
https://fox59.com/news/dozens-of-blue-indy-cars-sit-at-scrapyard-as-city-contemplates-what-to-do-with-charging-stations/
The massive difference in attitude between the two parties’ supporters would immediately arouse suspicions in my mind. Okay, I’m not American, but 71% compared to 17% would make me want to go back and check the data. Are Americans customarily as polarized along party lines as this, or is this a one-off? Could there be some other factor in the construction of the survey that could be interfering with the results?
Peter, you are asking a valid — and important — question. My sense is that this survey’s results align with others I have seen. This is just one indication of how polarized American politics has become.
I get why automotive media tend to avoid political discussions — not only do commentators often sound like they are from different planets ideologically, but the civility of the discussions can go south quite quickly. That’s why Indie Auto’s comment threads are moderated.
As time goes on and the developmental issues with EVs subside, I would expect that attitudes about the cars will even out. People will buy them if they fit their practical needs and won’t if they don’t.
Thanks for your response, Steve. While we speak the same language, we can sometimes tend to underestimate the differences between one country’s culture and another. 🙂