Team Blitz India
Electric vehicles in the US seem to be losing its sheen. More and more electric vehicle drivers are thinking about switching back to internal combustion engine automobiles, according to new findings from the 2024 McKinsey & Co. Mobility Consumer Global Survey.
Forty-six percent of EV owners surveyed in the United States say they will likely return to driving gas-powered vehicles. Globally, the survey of 30,000 respondents in 15 countries found that more than one-quarter (29 percent) of EV owners are likely to go back to driving gaspowered cars. Australia topped the list with 49 per cent confirming they want to return to driving behind the wheel of an gaspowered automobile, the study found.
Not good enough
The lack of public charging infrastructure was the chief reason respondents wanted to switch back to gas-powered vehicles, with 35 percent saying it is “not yet good enough for me.” Thirty-four percent noted that the total costs of EV ownership were “too high.” The list of reasons for being disappointed in electric cars rounded out with being unable to charge at home (24 percent), too much worry and stress about charging (21 percent), changing mobility requirements (16 percent), and not enjoying the driving experience (13 percent).
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the administration plans to build 500,000 chargers by 2030. Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced an extra $1.3 billion in funding to expand EV charging infrastructure in urban and rural communities. Overall, 21 percent of global respondents said they would never want to switch to an electric vehicle, unchanged from 2022. By comparison, 18 percent confirmed their next automobile will be an EV, up from 16 percent in 2022.
Declining demand
Over the last year, U.S. consumer demand for EVs has stalled, forcing automakers like General Motors, Ford Motor, and Volkswagen to scale back or postpone their EV plans.