73% of Americans Would Consider an Alternative Fuel Vehicle

May 30th, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

Gas prices may have dipped in the weeks leading up to the Memorial Day weekend, but consumers are still responding to high gas prices.

According to a new poll from Consumer Reports, 37 percent of Americans say that fuel economy is their top consideration when looking for a new car. That makes efficiency the most important factor for consumers by far.

The next closest consideration was safety, which was ranked as a top priority by 17 percent of Americans.

The poll also showed that nearly three quarters of respondents were open to considering new types personal transportation like electric vehicles:

The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, found that car owners were open to different ways of saving at the pump, from downsizing to looking at hybrids, electric cars, or models with diesel engines.In all, nearly three quarters (73 percent) of participants said they would consider some type of alternatively fueled vehicle, with flex-fuel (which can run on E85 ethanol) and hybrid models leading the way. Younger buyers were more likely to consider an alternatively-fuel or purely electric vehicle than drivers over the age of 55.

Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. have been slower than expected. While record numbers of Chevy Volts were sold in March, the following month saw a major dip in sales. Nissan has faced a similar pattern of sales with its Leaf.

But auto industry executives say it’s far too early to draw conclusions about the success of the electric vehicle in the U.S.

“I don’t want you to take a one-month or two-month sales result in one particular market to try to make your opinion about the evolution of a very important technology for the industry,” said Nissan’s CEO in April.

Despite the current lag in the EV market, it is clear that America’s relationship with the automobile is changing. Consumers are driving less, using less fuel, and buying more efficient cars. Indeed, many younger consumers are choosing not to buy automobiles at all.

This post was originally published on Think Progress and has been reposted with permission.

Image courtesy Mitsubishi i

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Tags: Chevy Volt, flex fuel, Nissan Leaf, Volt

About the Author

Stephen Lacey is an editor at Greentech Media. Formerly, he was a reporter/blogger for Climate Progress, where he wrote about clean energy policy, technologies, and finance. Before joining CP, he was an editor/producer with RenewableEnergyWorld.com. He received his B.A. in journalism from Franklin Pierce University.

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Four Reasons To Drive Electric

We believe every small act of ecological stewardship contributes to the overall sustainability of life on earth. As Pam Hollis said, “I try to live by the philosophy that we can’t expect to make 100 percent change in any one thing. Rather, it’s the 1 percent change in 100 different things that will make the biggest impact.” We at Moto Electric Vehicles are proud to join the 1 percent that is attempting to save our environment, while reducing our dependence on gasoline, directly lowering the cost of transportation.

Miss Electric (http://www.misselectric.com/) recently posted these reasons on their website. We felt that they raised valid points that deserved your consideration, so we are paraphrasing them here – and adding a few considerations of our own!

Save Money
Hybrid and plug-in cars have lower overall operating costs. Spending less money at the gas station means more money in your pocket.

Fun To Drive
Electric vehicles are just plain fun to drive! High torque and smooth handling, along with quiet operation make them a “green” driver’s dream – not to mention all of the attention you and your vehicle will get!

Healthy People/Healthy Environment/Healthy Economy
Electric vehicles emit virtually no toxic emissions. Not only will people be healthier, but they will also spend less money on imported oil and help to create jobs building the vehicles and the infrastructure necessary to support them.

Be Part Of The Electric Drive Community
Current and potential EV drivers love to gather and share their experiences with others! Many hold local events that offer opportunities to network with like-minded people to learn about the latest innovations, legislation, opportunities and applications for Electric Vehicles.