As state and federal authorities continue to incentivize consumers to purchase electric vehicles (EVs) over gas-powered vehicles, a new poll reveals that nearly half of all Americans who have bought an EV regret the decision and plan to switch back to gas-powered cars for their next purchase.
The report by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. found that 46% of Americans who bought an EV regret their decision and will opt for a gas-powered vehicle in the future. Globally, one-third of the 40,000 people surveyed also expressed a desire to switch back from an EV to a gas-powered car.
Philipp Kampshoff, leader of the Center for Future Mobility, reacted to the report, saying he didn’t expect consumers to regret their decision.
“I thought, ‘Once an EV buyer, always an EV buyer,” Kampshoff reacted. He also explained that his findings are a “warning sign of the direction of travel” and that there is a “real stalling we’re seeing in the U.S. that we’re not seeing in other geographies.”
EV users have continued to express criticisms of the technology, particularly the high prices, lack of infrastructure, and their lack of durability in certain weather conditions. As a result, several companies that previously set up initiatives to push electric vehicles have scaled back their plans after realizing the market is not as eager to purchase these vehicles as originally thought.
Ford Motor Company recently announced that it would be delaying the production of its anticipated new EVs, pushing the timeline back from its original 2025 release to 2027. It also announced it will be re-evaluating what type of EVs it produces. Likewise, Mercedes-Benz decided earlier this year to backtrack on its earlier plan to go all-electric by 2030. The decision was heavily influenced by the lack of consumer interest in EVs and the company’s sales being much lower than expected.
