As Agent 009 pointed out in a story that posted yesterday, an all-new survey has been published via JD Power and, if we're honest, it paints a rather complex picture for electric vehicles. Simply put, it shows that the industry's latest moves and consumers are out of sync.
That's because the average buyer isn't exactly sold on EVs. Given the rather high cost of research & development being poured into EVs and getting them to market, this is hugely problematic.
Keep in mind: These high R&D costs are also being absorbed by regular vehicles, which translates into higher prices for normal autos.
As seen below, the following areas are top of mind concerns for today's consumers: Reliability, cost, range and the location of charging stations.
If automakers have been seeking to better meet buyer's expectations, here's a finding they should take to the bank. Over three-fourths (77 percent) of participants said they want 300 miles, or more, of range from their EVs.
In other words, that Audi e-tron SUV's paltry 204 mile range on a full charge is a total miss.
So, now what? Should traditional automakers start thinking along these lines to better educate the market and deliver products in line with expectations? Or, should they continue to ship garbage?
An excerpt from J.D. Power's press release follows:
Following are key findings about battery-electric vehicles:
- Mobility Confidence Index is 55 for battery-electric vehicles: With an overall score of 55, consumers have a neutral level of confidence about the future of battery-electric vehicles. Attributes scoring lowest include likelihood of purchasing an electric vehicle (39); reliability of electric compared to gas-powered vehicles (49); and ability to stay within budget compared to gas, diesel or hybrid vehicles (55). Most consumers, regardless of age, believe there are positive environmental effects of electric vehicles.
- Full speed ahead—for small market share: Both consumers and industry experts recognize it will be well over a decade before electric vehicles equal gas-powered vehicles in sales volume. Experts also predict it will be at least five years until battery-electric vehicles’ market share reaches 10%.
- Challenges to increasing battery-electric vehicle acceptance: Consumer affordability and trust remain among the top challenges for electric vehicle adoption. In addition, infrastructure and battery concerns (cost, range and supply capacity) are critical challenges which must be addressed.
- Advantages and disadvantages of battery-electric vehicles: More than half (61%) of respondents say battery-electric vehicles are better for the environment and 48% believe the cost of charging compared with the cost of gas will be advantageous. However, 64% are concerned about the availability of charging stations and 59% are concerned about range. More than three-fourths (77%) expect electric vehicles to have a driving range of 300 miles or more. Nearly three-fourths (74%) are only willing to wait 30 minutes or less to charge a vehicle to travel about 200 miles.
- Experience affects purchase consideration: Two-thirds (68%) of consumers say they have no experience with battery-electric vehicles, meaning they have never been in one. Among those who have owned or leased a battery-electric vehicle, 75% say they would consider repurchasing a similar vehicle. Among those who have never been in a battery-electric vehicle, only 40% said they would consider purchasing or leasing one. Universally, 78% say that tax subsidies or credits would factor into their purchase decision.
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