American consumers seem unwilling to forgo the gas pump anytime soon, with more
than two-thirds of those surveyed saying they would prefer to purchase an
ICE-powered vehicle the next time they go auto shopping while an additional 23%
said they would look for a hybrid vehicle, according to the 2022 Deloitte
Global Automotive Consumer Study.

Only 5% of U.S. respondents said they were planning on purchasing a battery
electric vehicle (BEV).

Range anxiety, higher costs, lack of available charging infrastructure and the
length of time required to charge were the top concerns U.S. consumers gave
regarding BEVs.

The survey results come as the Biden administration continues to look to an EV
transition as a key part of its effort to combat climate change and major U.S.
car manufacturers increase their lineup of EV offerings.

The survey demonstrates how cost will continue to play a major role in either
fueling, or stymieing adoption of electric vehicles in the United States.

When asked what factors would impact the decision to purchase an electric
vehicle, U.S. consumers listed lower fuel costs as the top reason they would
purchase an EV. Environmental concerns were ranked second while government
incentives were fifth and concern about additional taxes being imposed on ICE
vehicles was seventh. The survey found that 31% of U.S. consumers would rethink
their decision to purchase an EV if the cost of electricity for charging was
comparable to the current price of gasoline or diesel fuel.

The survey also highlights the challenges electrification will pose for fuel
retailers, with only 11% of U.S. respondents saying they expected to primarily
use public charging to charge their vehicles. Seventy-five percent of U.S.
respondents said they expected to primarily charge at home while an additional
14% said they expected to do their charging at work.

Of those who don't plan to charge at home, 25% said that was because there was
no possibility of installing a charging system while 44% said the cost of
installing a system would be prohibitive.

The survey found that most EV manufacturers have a ways to go to meet U.S.
consumer expectations for battery range, with American motorists expecting EVs
to go more than 500 miles on a full charge. That's compared to expectations of
just over 250 miles for drivers in China, Japan and India.

The survey found Americans about evenly split on the environmental benefits of
owning an EV, with just about half saying they thought EVs had a lower
environmental impact compared to ICE vehicles, while 30% said they thought both
types of vehicles had similar impacts and 21% saying they thought BEVs had a
higher impact.

The survey also found Americans continue to lead the world in preferring to
drive themselves over taking public transportation, with 76% of U.S.
respondents saying a personal vehicle was their preferred form of
transportation, compared to 6% who prefer taxis or ride-sharing services and 3%
who prefer public transport.

Germany was the country with the next-highest level of respondents who prefer a
personal vehicle, with 67% citing that as their top choice, while in India only
43% prefer driving themselves.

The Deloitte survey questioned more than 26,000 consumers from 25 countries,
including 1,031 in the United States. Most of the U.S. respondents, 42%, were
55 or older, 31% were 35-55, and 27% were 34 or younger.

--Reporting by Steve Cronin, scronin@Opisnet.com; Editing by Barbara Chuck,
bchuck@opisnet.com


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