Numerous Complaints, Electric Car Popularity in US Wanes

KatadataOTO – Consumer interest in electrified vehicles is starting to grow, especially in Southeast Asia. The abundance of Chinese products with competitive prices and a wealth of features is a major draw.

However, in the United States, it seems that interest in electric cars has been waning recently for certain reasons.

Based on research by AAA (American Automobile Association), many potential consumers have expressed doubts about buying an electric car.

As of this year, only 16 percent of US consumers are reportedly interested in buying an electric car. Meanwhile, 63 percent stated they are not interested, a sharp increase from the 51 percent in the 2022 research.

Photo : Nio

The number of people stating they are not interested in buying an electric car reached its highest point this year since 2022.

“Even though the automotive industry has made long-term commitments and offers diverse models, there is still hesitation from consumers,” said Greg Bannon, Director of Automotive Engineering at AAA, as quoted on Wednesday (06/04).

He further explained that there are several main points that make people reluctant to buy electric cars.

For example, the cost of repairing the battery is considered quite expensive. To address this, some manufacturers offer battery leasing schemes to give consumers more peace of mind.

Additionally, the price of electric cars is relatively high. Furthermore, for long-distance travel, EVs (Electric Vehicles) are still considered unreliable.

In the US, range anxiety and the availability of charging infrastructure, i.e., public charging stations, are also still concerns for the public.

The research results show that safety factors are also a reason people choose not to buy an electric car.

Finally, 12 percent of people in the study admitted to being concerned about the continuity of EV support policies, such as tax incentives.

It should be noted that in Indonesia, electric cars that meet certain criteria receive incentives. Therefore, some are offered at competitive prices.

Photo : Carscoops

There are still concerns, especially regarding driving range and infrastructure availability, particularly in regional areas. In terms of sales, hybrid cars are still superior.

Recently, Chinese manufacturer Chery offered an alternative electric car with PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) technology. 

The price of the Tiggo 8 CSH (Chery Super Hybrid) is the cheapest compared to other PHEVs in Indonesia, at around IDR 519 million.