More Americans Warming to EVs, Study Finds
Here reports American charging capacity in gigawatts, which is the unit Europe has written into law, while American coverage skipped this.
Charging Infrastructure Perceptions Improve
The HERE-SBD EV Index reveals positive American perceptions of charging infrastructure rose from 28% to 47% in a year, and 60% now expect it to continue improving, despite the US battery-electric market share falling to 5.37%.
Increasing Interest in EVs
More Americans are open to owning an electric car than a year ago, as reported by InsideEVs, even with the decline in market share. This sentiment is reflected in the index findings:
53% of drivers are more open to an electric car now compared to last year.
Factors Influencing EV Adoption
Consumer sentiment often drives purchasing behavior, according to Robert Fisher, senior consulting manager at SBD Automotive. Fuel prices were named as a secondary factor by 57%.
Growth in Charging Infrastructure
America added 31,600 public charge points, representing approximately 13% growth, and total charging power rose from 14.1 GW to 20.7 GW, a 47% increase.
Global Perspective
While HERE is headquartered in Amsterdam and was acquired by Audi, BMW, and Daimler from Nokia in 2015, the index covers 30 European countries, 34 Indian states, eight Australian regions, and all 50 American states.
Europe’s alternative fuels regulation sets national targets in kilowatts of publicly accessible capacity rather than plugs, as TNW has previously reported.
Key Takeaways
- A growing number of Americans perceive charging infrastructure positively.
- EV market share decline doesn’t deter consumer interest.
- Europe continues to outperform America in terms of charging infrastructure development and EV adoption.