Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

U.S. drivers are conflicted about EVs, Ernst & Young survey shows

Consumers balance high rates of both enthusiasm and concern about battery-powered vehicles.

ey-group-of-electric-cars-with-pack-of-battery-cells-module-on-platform-v2.jpg.rendition.3840.2560.jpeg

U.S. consumers are embracing both the promise and the concerns about driving electric vehicles (EVs), with survey numbers showing strong jumps on both the pros and cons of battery-powered cars, according to research from the consulting firm Ernst & Young LLP (EY).

U.S. consumer interest in EVs is at an all-time high, with about half (48%) of U.S. car buyers intending to purchase an EV in the next 24 months, the firm said in its “EY Mobility Consumer Index (MCI),” a global survey of more than 15,000 consumers from 20 countries.


That result shows a 19-point rise compared to the 29% of Americans who said the same thing in last year’s study. And it boosted the U.S. to jump five spots in EV readiness overall, reaching the seventh-place ranking. The top three most EV-ready nations are China, Norway, and Sweden.

One reason for the rise is the quick recovery of U.S. consumers from pandemic malaise. In 2023, the share of existing car owners intending to buy new cars in the U.S. showed a 3% increase, with the U.S. showing a significantly higher car-buying intent (12% growth to 60%) compared with the global average (which remained flat year over year at 44%).

To meet those eager shoppers, car companies are likely to invest in EV models for larger vehicles, since 38% of North American buyers prefer an SUV over a sedan or other vehicle type. That result should spark the continued rise of the electric SUV — or SU(E)V—EY said.

Consumer confidence in EV performance has also steadily grown over the past two years, as more buyers say they’re considering buying an EV specifically because they believe it outperforms internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered vehicles on the road.

"There are a few critical drivers to adopt EVs on a large scale, from consumer sentiment, to regulatory incentives, and cost," Felipe Smolka, EY Americas Automotive eMobility Leader, said in a release. "Government incentives, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), make a large impact not just on consumers, but across industries. As more EV accessibility and incentives arise, whether its developing charging stations on interstate highways or driving battery circularity, we will see EV adoption thrive."

However, that growing enthusiasm is countered by a parallel rise in concerns about EV charging infrastructure, costs, and safety, EY found. A lack of charging stations continued to be the top deterrent for potential car buyers in the U.S., the same as 2022. Over half (51%) of U.S. consumers are more worried about finding a charging station in nonresidential facilities than expensive charging costs. Further, the safety of home chargers remains a concern, with 57% of potential US buyers citing safety of home chargers as the key deterrent — 10% higher than global counterparts.

"Consumers need access to safe, reliable, convenient and affordable charging to drive and own an EV, and our research shows real concerns remain," Marc Coltelli, EY Americas eMobility Energy Leader, said in a release. "At the EY organization, we are predicting 82 million EVs will be on U.S. roads by 2035. To scale adoption, the challenge confronting America's transition to EVs is instilling charging confidence among consumers. The energy industry has a massive role to play in this transition and is seizing the opportunity by collaborating cross-sector to build and power a resilient EV charging network."
 

 

 

 

The Latest

More Stories

Logistics gives back: February 2025

Here's our monthly roundup of some of the charitable works and donations by companies in the material handling and logistics space.

  • For the sixth consecutive year, dedicated contract carriage and freight management services provider Transervice Logistics Inc. collected books, CDs, DVDs, and magazines for Book Fairies, a nonprofit book donation organization in the New York Tri-State area. Transervice employees broke their own in-house record last year by donating 13 boxes of print and video assets to children in under-resourced communities on Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City.
  • Logistics real estate investment and development firm Dermody Properties has recognized eight community organizations in markets where it operates with its 2024 Annual Thanksgiving Capstone awards. The organizations, which included food banks and disaster relief agencies, received a combined $85,000 in awards ranging from $5,000 to $25,000.
  • Prime Inc. truck driver Dee Sova has donated $5,000 to Harmony House, an organization that provides shelter and support services to domestic violence survivors in Springfield, Missouri. The donation follows Sova's selection as the 2024 recipient of the Trucking Cares Foundation's John Lex Premier Achievement Award, which was accompanied by a $5,000 check to be given in her name to a charity of her choice.
  • Employees of dedicated contract carrier Lily Transportation donated dog food and supplies to a local animal shelter at a holiday event held at the company's Fort Worth, Texas, location. The event, which benefited City of Saginaw (Texas) Animal Services, was coordinated by "Lily Paws," a dedicated committee within Lily Transportation that focuses on improving the lives of shelter dogs nationwide.
  • Freight transportation conglomerate Averitt has continued its support of military service members by participating in the "10,000 for the Troops" card collection program organized by radio station New Country 96.3 KSCS in Dallas/Fort Worth. In 2024, Averitt associates collected and shipped more than 18,000 holiday cards to troops overseas. Contributions included cards from 17 different Averitt facilities, primarily in Texas, along with 4,000 cards from the company's corporate office in Cookeville, Tennessee.

Featured

Catch a thief, stop a vandal

Electric vehicle (EV) sales have seen slow and steady growth, as the vehicles continue to gain converts among consumers and delivery fleet operators alike. But a consistent frustration for drivers has been pulling up to a charging station only to find that the charger has been intentionally broken or disabled.

To address that threat, the EV charging solution provider ChargePoint has launched two products to combat charger vandalism.

Keep ReadingShow less
ATRI releases annual list of nation’s top truck bottlenecks

ATRI releases annual list of nation’s top truck bottlenecks

New Jersey is home to the most congested freight bottleneck in the country for the seventh straight year, according to research from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), released today.

ATRI’s annual list of the Top 100 Truck Bottlenecks aims to highlight the nation’s most congested highways and help local, state, and federal governments target funding to areas most in need of relief. The data show ways to reduce chokepoints, lower emissions, and drive economic growth, according to the researchers.

Keep ReadingShow less

Tech tool "shrinks" opportunities for retail theft

"Shrink" is the retail industry term for the loss of inventory before it can be sold, whether through theft, damage, fraud, or simple book-keeping errors. In the ongoing effort to reduce those losses, Switzerland-based retail tech company Sensormatic Solutions has expanded the scope of its Shrink Analyzer application to shine a light into previously unmonitored parts of brick-and-mortar stores where goods tend to go missing.

The newly enhanced, cloud-based application can now integrate radio-frequency identification (RFID) and electronic product code (EPC) data from overlooked parts of the building, like employee entrances, receiving doors, "buy online, pick up in store" (BOPIS) doors, or other high-risk areas selected by a store. It then integrates that data into Sensormatic's analytics engine to provide insights into when, where, and how shrink occurs to help users strengthen their loss-prevention strategies, the company says.

Keep ReadingShow less

The ongoing war against fraud

A few days before Christmas as I was busy preparing for the holiday, I received a text message from my bank asking if I had attempted to purchase a $244 Amtrak ticket in Orange County, California. Considering that I had the card in my possession and that I lived thousands of miles away from the attempted purchase location, I promptly replied "No." Almost immediately, a second message informed me that my card was locked and to contact my bank.

I'd like to say this was an isolated incident, but in 2024, I had to replace the same card four times. Luckily, it just took a quick trip to my local bank to replace the compromised card, but it was still an unwanted hassle.

Keep ReadingShow less