Electric Vehicle Education Increases Likelihood Buyers Will Consider Purchasing an EV

A Pew Research Center survey of more than 13,700 adults in the US conducted in April 2021 found that, overall, 39% of those surveyed were very or somewhat likely to consider purchasing an EV, while 46% were not at all likely to consider an EV, and another 14% had no plans to purchase a vehicle.

Breaking those numbers down by how much people had heard about EVs reveals that more knowledge of EVs translates into greater consideration of EVs. Of those who reported knowing nothing about EVs, only 13% would consider purchasing one. Those who had heard a little about EVs were more than twice as likely to consider purchasing an EV as those who had heard nothing. Those who had heard a lot about EVs were the most likely to consider purchasing one. (Editor’s note: Of course, if you were more interested in buying an EV, you’d be more likely to search out — and thus hear about — information on EVs.)

There are also differences among the age groups surveyed, with Millennials being most likely to consider purchasing an EV.

EV Consideration by Education

Note: Survey N = 13,749. Boomer or older was born before 1965. Generation X was born 1965 to 1980. Millennial was born 1981 to 1996. Generation Z = Born after 1996.

Source: Pew Research Center, Electric vehicles get mixed reception from American consumers, June 3, 2021.