Americans’ Mixed Feelings Stall Sales of Electric Vehicles
By Cameron Koch
JRN100 Staff Writer
Americans cling to their gas-powered vehicles and remain skeptical of the EV industry’s claims that EVs are affordable and reliable.
Although a majority of Americans agree that electric vehicles are best for the environment, they are not convinced they are better in terms of price and reliability, which has contributed to slower sales in the U.S. than in Europe and Asia, according to a recent research study.
A 2021 Pew Research Center study, titled Electric vehicles get mixed reception from American consumers, found that 67% of Americans think that electric vehicles (EVs) are better for the environment than gas-powered vehicles; the same amount (66%) see EVs as being more expensive.
The survey, which got responses from 13,749 Americans, found that 34%, or 4,675, say EVs are less reliable than gas-powered and 15%, or 2,062, say EVs are more reliable.
Twenty-one percent, or 2,887 of those surveyed, said gas-powered vehicles were more fun to drive while 13%, or 1,787, said EVs are more fun to drive.
Elif Sisli Ciamarra, a Stonehill professor and Belmont resident, has owned a Tesla Model S for about three years.
“We want to, for environmental reasons, move away from gas,” Ciamarra said. “It’s a step in the right direction but the electricity needs to be green,” she said.
William E. Mustain, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of South Carolina, agrees that EVs are somewhat better for the environment.
When you drive a gas-powered vehicle, “you leave the emissions right where you are using them,” he said. However, if driving an EV that is charged with fossil fuel-generated electricity, then the emissions are “generated off site in low population areas.”
This results in less air and noise pollution in densely populated areas. To truly make EVs environmentally friendly, Mustain notes that electricity needs to be created by renewables.
He also notes that many people might be worried about the environmental impact of the mining done to produce Lithium-ion batteries.
“Mining for all of our resources is environmentally taxing,” Mustain said. We have to think about whether “the overall impact is less than drilling for oil.”
Additionally, David Checkel, a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta who has studied combustion, alternative fuels, and emissions, said that the “way to prevent [this environmental damage] is through extensive recycling. The automotive industry is good at recycling.”
The focus of experts on these weaknesses could lead to EVs becoming more environmentally friendly.
Ciamarra has mixed emotions regarding her EV; “the car itself is not the most comfortable,” she said.
She also keeps a gas-powered vehicle since she needs a car with seven seats; Tesla has a car with seven seats, but at the moment “the price is not there.”
The Pew Research Center found in a different study, titled Today’s electric vehicle market: Slow growth in U.S., faster in China, Europe, that Americans are slow to accept EVs in comparison to many European and Asian countries.
This shows that in 2020, about 75% of new cars sold in Norway were electric while only 2% of new cars sold in the U.S. were electric.
Checkel said culture and geography play a role.
America has a “mindset of driving long distances. Europe has a mindset of staying close to home,” he said.
Additionally, Mustain said that public transportation is more widespread in Europe. He lived just fine without a car when he briefly resided over there.
According to Checkel, it is difficult to shift away from technology that is so widespread; “American reluctance is partially because you are very well supplied with gas and diesel vehicles,” he said.
Mustain agrees that people are reluctant to move away from the status quo. Some people think the electric battery will catch on fire or that the car will need more repairs to continue running; EVs are at a disadvantage, “having the burden of replacing a well-established technology,” he said.
The idea that EVs are less reliable is misguided. “Maintenance [of an EV] is significantly easier. There are minimal moving parts,” Mustain said.
Those who drive EV’s have the luxury of not having to worry about oil changes.
Ciamarra is confident in the reliability and durability of her Tesla. “They told me it would be the last car I would purchase. I could see that being correct,” she said.
Even if she did need to purchase another vehicle, she “will not buy another gas car.”
Another explanation for the reluctance of Americans to buy EVs is the lack of infrastructure to support them.
California may be setting an example for the country, having the highest share of EVs and almost a third of the charging stations in the nation.
Ciamarra said that it used to be convenient to charge her Tesla but lately it has been more difficult to find a charging-spot on campus. Charging stations on campus are limited in number and so even a small increase in EVs is enough to fill up the available spaces.
EV’s can be charged at home, but charging stations specifically designed for EVs can fully charge the vehicle significantly quicker. Ciamarra said that when she charges at her house, she can get a full charge overnight.
Lack of fast-charging stations could result in Americans who live in certain areas being less likely to buy an EV since they might not want to wait multiple hours to use their vehicle. “You don’t have the freedom to go wherever you want whenever you want,” Mustain said.
Americans may change their opinions over time in order to be more accepting of EVs.
Ciamarra expressed confidence that the public will embrace EVs as traditional car manufacturers add more variety to the market.
Professor Mustain also predicted that as the price of batteries decrease and the number of charging stations increase, the number of EVs sold will also increase.
The second Pew study said that Joe Biden’s infrastructure proposal could add 500,000 charging stations which could incentivize Americans to buy an EV and build trust in the technology.
“The growth of electric vehicles will continue and accelerate,” Checkel said.
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