Electric vehicles, or EVs, have been growing in popularity. Over recent years the automotive market has responded to growing calls to move away from fossil fuels. According to Consumer Reports, seven out of 10 drivers in the U.S. have an interest in electric cars as of 2020. 

These statistics show that more Americans than ever are interested in potentially owning, or at least learning more about, electric vehicles. Here’s a look at the report in more detail.

What the Consumer Reports survey asked regarding EVs

Consumer Reports recently shared the results of a survey it completed. Between July and August 2020, 3,392 American adult drivers were surveyed on a variety of questions relating to their knowledge of electric cars. These included:

• “What are your feelings about buying or purchasing an EV?” – 71% of participants are interested in owning or leasing an EV.
• “How would you describe your knowledge of plug-in EVs?” – 97% of respondents had at least heard of EVs. 
• “What is the most encouraging reason to consider an EV in the future?” – Many respondents felt that the lower costs of operation (and potentially lower prices for purchasing an EV) would be the biggest incentives.
• “How long would an EV have to go between charges before you would consider purchasing one?” – Most people would like their EVs to be able to go at least 200 miles between charges before considering purchasing one.

With the majority of American drivers interested in learning more and potentially purchasing an electric car, we can expect to see more of them on the roads shortly. 

The CR survey also explored what sort of infrastructure drivers would like to see to make owning an EV more attractive and what kind of government incentives drivers would like to see to encourage EVs over gas-powered cars.

A look at the car driver statistics

According to the Consumer Reports survey, 71% of drivers interested in an EV represent people from Millennials (born between 1980-1994) to the Silent Generation (born between 1925-1945). In each progressive generation, more drivers are considering purchasing an EV at some point. In fact, most drivers surveyed across each generation would consider getting an electric car at some point.

The statistics also show that consumers are interested in seeing more vehicles represented as EVs, such as SUVs or pick-ups. They also show that most Americans would welcome more incentives from utility companies and rebate programs. 

Possible cause of increased interest in electric cars

One interesting survey finding showed that 72% of participants would expect to charge their EVs in their driveways or garages. Considering that this survey was completed in 2020 during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when more people were restricted from long-range travel and found themselves at home for long periods, being able to count on time at home to charge an EV may have been a contributing factor in the increased interest.

While the survey did not directly explore whether the extra time many Americans spent at home influenced their feelings toward EVs, there may be a correlation. Electric cars may have felt more accessible and more affordable as gas prices rose to unprecedented heights.

Learn about how to charge your EV at home

According to a  Consumer Reports 2020 survey, American drivers are more interested than ever in considering an electric car for purchase or lease. As EVs become more practical by offering a greater variety of styles and longer driving ranges between charges, more Americans will likely make their next new car purchase one that they can reliably charge at the convenience of their own homes.