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Study Suggests 25 Percent Of U.S. Car Shoppers Would Buy An EV

The American populace seems to become more accepting to the idea of the electric vehicle as gas prices soar, as a recent study suggests that 25 percent of U.S. car buyers are serious about purchasing an EV.

The study was conducted by AAA, and found that of those 25 percent of U.S. car buyers, 30 percent were Millennials, accounting for the highest percentage of any demographic. AAA stated that it believes rising fuel prices will continue to encourage customers to consider buying an EV, as 77 percent of buyers indicated gas prices were a key reason for interest.

There are still major concerns regarding the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, however. Sixty percent of buyers hesitant to purchase an EV stated they were put off by the higher purchase price and concerns that there weren’t enough places to charge. Additionally, 58 percent cited concerns about running out of charge while driving an EV, and that these vehicles are not suited to long-distance travel.

AAA predicts that interest and acceptance of electric vehicles will continue to rise as many automakers abandon the internal combustion engine for battery electric propulsion systems. GM in particular will launch 30 EVs worldwide by 2025, dedicating more than half of its capital spending and product development team to electric and electric-autonomous vehicle programs. Notably, the automaker will transition Buick and Cadillac into EV-only brands by 2030. The Cadillac Lyriq, Caddy’s first EV, has already dropped and is on its way to dealers nationwide, while the first electric Buick is expected to launch in 2024. The GMC Hummer EV is already making waves, laying the framework for an electric Humvee successor for the U.S. Army.

More recently, the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV debuted in both the U.S. and Canada, representing Chevrolet’s first foray into the realm of electric vehicles. The Blazer EV will be offered in four trim levels, including the range-topping SS trim that “has the soul of a sports car.” And speaking of sports cars, GM Authority recently caught a Chevy Corvette E-Ray turning laps at Nurburgring, a testament to what the upcoming hybrid Vette will be capable of.

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Alexandra is a Colorado-based journalist with a passion for all things involving horsepower, be it automotive or equestrian.

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Comments

  1. Right now I’m wary due to the limited range, cost, and fire hazard. But who knows? Maybe things will change and I’ll get one after a test drive. I’m keeping an eye out for a GMC Terrain EV announcement.

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    1. I would like to add that I don’t like idea of a vehicle needing a new battery long before an ICE would be worn out.

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      1. Nate:
        I’m conversely surprised at the UNRELIABILITY of ICE vehicles lately – especially FORDS. My Pool Maintenance guy has sworn off Mercedes (SPRINTER) vans forever – since the engine died at 70,000 miles.

        EVs (GM) all have an 8 year / 100,000 mile warranty, and some brands have 10 years….

        If the battery actually DIED in warranty – they’d give you another one and install it for free, even though the replacement MIGHT be a used battery.

        But the idea of a battery ACTUALLY DYING is few and far between….. They just more likely slowly lose range – and will a full ev the number of charge/discharge cycles of the battery is tiny – excepting Traveling Salesman and on-the-road technicians racking up 150,000 miles per year. I charge up my fully electric EV once a week, but still rack up 10,000 miles a year per vehicle.

        My Cadillac ELR has lost 30% of its initial range (43 to 35 miles per charge) over 8 years and 95,000 miles, but that car has 365 charge/discharge cycles per year since the battery is so small.

        Why would people lose sleep over that issue when all the automatic transmission places are constantly full of cars needing new ones, and that is even not mentioning the engines needing overhauls?

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        1. I’ve never had such massive problems with an ICE, but I understand lithium ion batteries pretty well.

          Whatever. It doesn’t matter. I don’t control this. It’s going to happen anyway.
          We’re going to switch to an expensive, inconvenient, mode of transportation and there is no stopping it.

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        2. That 8/100 warranty is to get people to switch over. They will stop at nothing to get their agenda fulfilled. Once everybody is in an electric they will all do what they did after 2008 and drop the warranty coverage back down to 3/36 bumper to bumper and 5/60 motor/batteries. In fact you will see these car companies doing everything possible to shave costs and make these EV’s more profitable than they currently are. Count on that!

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    2. Gas cars are more fire hazards than electrics. Only Teslas burn more than gas cars. Now that every manufacturer is changing their battery chemistry to LFP, there will be no more electric car fires. Range issue is false, since the vast majority of drivers never exceed their range in their daily drive.

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    3. I just saw one for the 24 Chevy Blazer EV

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  2. Did anyone notice the comical irony of a large gas or diesel generator being used to recharge the BEV in the photo above??

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    1. the irony was not lost on me… I thought it was quite comical to the point that I saved it…

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    2. It’s a hydrogen fuel cell generator that GM is making – it says “Hydrotec” on the window.

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    3. Diesel Generators (not in the picture – since as has been mentioned it is not one) have their place.

      I would have no qualms – in an emergency – of having an internal combustion engine recharging an electric vehicle.

      AS a matter of fact, modern ICE engines with at least 50% efficiency (Heat reclamation can make some installations 80 – 90% energy efficient) are being used more and more for the smaller Central Power Stations, and it is obviously the case that some of their electric output is being used to daily charge EVs at home…

      So what?

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      1. I would be interested to know where you are getting your information regarding the ICE engines with 80-90% efficiency driving Central Power generating stations. If you are referring to Combustion turbines feeding into HRSG units to obtain that kind of efficiency number, that’s a multiple stage generating unit, not an ICE driving a generator directly. I would love to hear your source.

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  3. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE AN EV BATTERY AND WHAT IS THE COST OF THE BATTERY WHEN YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT?
    WHERE DO YOU DISPOSE OF YOUR DEAD BATTERY?
    WILL THERE BE TAMPERING OF THE CHARGING LOCATIONS AND WHAT WILL BE THE COST TO CHARGE YOUR BATTERY COMPARED TO GASOLINE?

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  4. Let’s see. Higher purchase price, and what will it be worth when time to trade in? A well planned conspiracy to force the population into something that only profits a few.

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    1. That would be CHINA… The company that Ford is using to supply their EV batteries is from China.

      CATL
      catl.com
      Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, abbreviated as CATL, is a Chinese battery manufacturer and technology company founded in 2011 that specializes in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as well as battery management systems.Wikipedia
      Traded as:
      SZSE: 300750
      Industry:
      Automotive Li-ion Batteries, Energy Storage Systems, Battery Recycling
      Founded:
      2011

      Reply
  5. I’m in the 75%, there is no mechanical, convenience, or financial advantage to an EV over an ICE vehicle.

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    1. Haha – hopefully the ” 75 % ” in the survey are not so ignorant as to the financial, mechanical, or convenience advantages of owning an EV long term, and have OTHER good reasons for preferring an ICE vehicle or Hybrid-ICE vehicle.

      Reply
  6. How about importing the Wuling Air ev. GM has a stake in the production and it would be a nice fit for the urban market niche. Service it through the GM dealerships. A win win proposal. Its already a hit in the foreigh markets. Spruce it up with any extras required to pass the safety restrictions for the US market.

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    1. No more Chinese crap for the US

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      1. Cause I’m SURE that you have NOTHING around your house that was made in China, nor ANY clothes that were made in China, nor ANY electronic items that were made in China???

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        1. There is a big difference between a $200 phone and a $30,000 vehicle.

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  7. At $70k, I’m considering a Blazer EV SS instead of a Corvette. Shoot me!

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  8. When Condo & Townhouse corporations do not allow their tenants to have EV charging installed at their residence due to insurance costs (EV fires being one issue) and with rolling blackouts in some states due to the demand for electricity higher than the ability to provide it, Just how in God’s green earth does it make sense to follow a globalist political agenda and buy an EV that you may or may not be restricted on the use of parking or even charging?

    Has anyone thought of where their electricity is coming from? Windmills only turn when the wind is blowing and solar only works when there is sunshine as there is no way to save energy produced by these sources for a “rainy day”

    Also, Windmills and solar panels are NON-RECYCLABLE… They get BURIED IN LANDFILL SITES.

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    1. In general Solar Panels and windmills are not recycled but you can bet in the future that they will start to be..

      It does help to not live in a ‘WOKE’ area – like Texas or California. I’d almost add NY State to that list, but so far they have evaded any troubles…

      The only point of agreement is that the government(s) are Pushing evs on a populace not wanting them as much, and that the manufacturers cannot possibly totally convert over to ev production in the Great Numbers needed any time soon…

      Having to wait 1/2 a year (from May 19th) for a LYRIQ supposedly in-production since March shows the stupidity of woke governments’ plans.

      Reply
  9. Im in the 75%

    If I lved in the city, maybe. But I would compare the difference between inter-city transportation using Uber, buses, walking, cabs, and then my own vehicle. When I stayed in Chicago for weeks at a time, I would spend around $6.00 on local transportation a day visiting several clients in the city. Way cheaper than driving and paying for parking.

    Keep in mind that you have to pay hundreds of dollars a month for apartment or condominium garage parking not to mention the charging fees that would be added…

    Having said that, it’s not any cheaper for an EV in that type of city living.

    In the burbs, groceries and using it for errands where you drive around 40 miles and charge it when you’re done for the day isn’t bad but make sure you have a reliable ICE vehicle in the garage for long trips and sitting in traffic.

    JMO

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  10. I am also in the 75%. I do not understand why the “green new deal“ is trying to force me and everyone else into buying an electric vehicle. I don’t need one, I don’t want one. I will keep my diesel pick up, thank you. I can go over 700 miles without refueling and not have to worry about finding a place to buy fuel. Electric cars may be the way for some people, but I am absolutely dismayed that our current government is trying to force me into buying something I don’t want.

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  11. Interesting: “More recently, the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV debuted in both the U.S. and Canada, representing Chevrolet’s first foray into the realm of electric vehicles.”

    I guess the Bolt, Bolt EUV, Spark EV and S10 EV never existed.

    Reply
  12. I think that even this said 25% is fudging things.

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  13. Just wait until the states start charging a road use tax on ev’s. There goes some of what you saved by not buying gasoline.

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    1. Nobody saves money by buying an EV. Any savings in gasoline or oil changes is totally blown away by the initial cost of the EV, and while electricity isn’t expensive (yet), it isn’t free. Especially at charging stations.
      You could probably argue that you traded in your F150 Lariat for a Bolt and saved money, but that’s disingenuous at best.
      I still think the biggest issue is longevity. No way is any car battery still working at anything close to a reasonable capacity (if at all) after about 10 years.
      That’s going to kill the resale value, make used cars impossible for poor people to buy, and drive up the price of leasing. And all that is on top of them already costing so much more.
      The future is looking like more of the poor getting poorer.

      Reply
    2. And wait to they start charging by vehicle weight.

      Reply
  14. I love my big trailer hauling V-8 and would never leave home without it. If I had the Ford Lightning it would require overnight lodging due to the short range and hence cost me more. The new Hummer EV’s battery weighs more than an Honda Civic and one could almost cringe when thinking about the tire wear. Yes, the money I would save on fuel would be nonexistent when installing new 22′ Michelin all electric radials every year, lol!

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    1. Yeah, I saw that video from a couple weeks back on YouTube. A Lightning with the extended battery didn’t even make it 100 miles with a toy hauler.

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      1. The Lightning made it 86 miles from 100% charge to just 2% left, then took an hour to charge to reach 70%. The trailer was a 6,000-pound box trailer (toy hauler).

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        1. That fast charging of the battery should degrade it’s life to about half of a usable battery so you just might get out of the 10 year warranty before it has to be replaced hopefully not on your dime

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    2. The tire replacement factor as well as the ridiculous weight are two often overlooked factors on Evs.

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  15. Just wait and see how much a replacement battery costs at the end of it’s life. I figure more than the ev is worth and at only after 10 years they probably won’t have a replacement so YOUR GREAT EV will be worth nothing, 000, nada.

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  16. I’m am not against electric cars but I do not like the way they are being pushed. There’s so many things that are being swept under a rug because all you hear about is going green or for the greater good..

    I’m not going all electric no time in the future. I wouldn’t mind driving one and having one if it was convenient for me but just for that reason alone. I will always have a ICE. For the reason being of electric outings are frequent still. The repair of another car is outrageous. Like the throwaway transmissions and some of these cars. For the most part ICE vehicles are pretty much easy to fix and part are cheaper to replace not trashing the whole battery and burying it underground like nuclear waste.

    So one side of the spectrum it may help lower CO2 from the tailpipe, obviously having none. But the amount of waste we use making electric batteries and having to bury them and Not recycle them is not good for the
    enviroment either.

    Reply

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