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Wednesday 12 april 2023
4 in 10 say next vehicle may be electric: AP-NORC/EPIC poll

Continued from Front of next year, under a plan
announced in February by
Auto companies are in- the White House. The plan
vesting billions in factories to open the nation’s largest
and battery technology in and most reliable charging
an effort to speed up the network to all drivers is a
switch to EVs to cut pol- potential game-changer in
lution and fight climate promoting EV use, experts
change. Under a green- say.
house gas emissions pro- High prices and a lack of
posal from the Environ- available chargers are cit-
mental Protection Agency, ed by at least half of Dem-
about two-thirds of all new ocrats and Republicans as
vehicle sales could have to main reasons for not buying
be EVs by 2032. President an EV, but there’s a parti-
Joe Biden has set a goal san divide in how Ameri-
that up to half of all new cans view electric vehicles.
vehicle sales be electric by About half of Republicans,
2030 to cut emissions and 54%, say a preference for
fight climate change. gasoline-powered vehicles
But only 19% of U.S. adults is a major reason for not
say it’s “very” or “extreme- An electric vehicle is plugged into a charger in Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. buying an EV, while only
Associated Press
ly” likely they would pur- 29% of Democrats say that.
chase an electric vehicle cost an average of more the U.S. Treasury Depart- a reason they wouldn’t go James Rogers of Sacra-
the next time they buy a than $58,000, according ment could result in fewer electric, including half who mento, California, a Demo-
car, according to the poll, to Kelley Blue Book, a price electric vehicles qualifying call it a major reason. Two- crat who voted for Biden,
and 22% say it’s somewhat that’s beyond the reach for a full $7,500 federal tax thirds cite a preference calls climate change an
likely. About half — 47% — of many U.S. households. credit later. for gasoline vehicles as a urgent problem, and he
say it’s not likely they would (The average vehicle sold Many vehicles will only major or minor reason they supports Biden’s overall ap-
go electric.Six in 10 said the in the U.S. costs just under be eligible for half the full won’t go electric. proach. Still, he does not
high cost is a major reason $46,000.) Tax credits ap- credit, $3,750, an amount “I’m an internal combus- own an EV and isn’t plan-
they wouldn’t and about a proved under last year’s that may not be enough tion engine kind of guy,” ning to buy one, saying
quarter cited it as a minor Inflation Reduction Act are to entice them away from said Robert Piascik, 65, the price must come down
reason. Only 16% said the designed to bring EV prices less-costly gasoline-pow- a musician who lives in and the charging infra-
high cost would not be a down and attract more ered vehicles. Westerville, Ohio, a Colum- structure upgraded.
factor in rejecting the EV. buyers. About three-quarters say bus suburb. “I can’t see my- Even with a tax credit that
New electric vehicles now But new rules proposed by too few charging stations is self spending a premium to could put the average
buy something that I don’t price for a new EV close
like as much as the lower- to $50,000, “it’s too much”
priced option.” money, said Rogers, 62, a
Although he has nothing retired customer service
against EVs and would representative. He’s willing
consider buying one as to pay as much as $42,000
the technology improves for an EV and hopes the
and prices fall, Piascik said market will soon drive pric-
the shorter traveling range, es down, Rogers said.
lack of places to charge In an encouraging finding
and long refueling times for EV proponents, the poll
would make it harder for shows 55% of adults under
him to go on trips. 30 say they are at least
In his 2017 BMW 3-Series, somewhat likely they will
all he has to do is pull into get an electric vehicle next
a gas station and fill up in time, as do 49% of adults
minutes, Piascik said. “The ages 30 to 44, compared
early adopters have to put with just 31% of those 45
up with a lack of infrastruc- and older.
ture,” he said. And people in the U.S. do
Biden has set a goal of see the benefits to an EV.
500,000 EV charging sta- Saving money on gasoline
tions nationwide, and $5 is the main factor cited by
billion from the 2021 infra- those who want to buy an
structure law has been set EV, with about three-quar-
aside to install or upgrade ters of U.S. adults calling it a
chargers along 75,000 major or minor reason.
miles (120,000 kilometers) Making an impact on cli-
of highway from coast to mate change is another
coast. big reason many would
Electric car giant Tesla buy an EV, with 35% saying
will, for the first time, make that reducing their person-
some of its charging sta- al impact on the climate
tions available to all U.S. is a major reason and 31%
electric vehicles by the end saying it’s a minor reason.q