Automakers are betting big on electric cars - but there's a lingering problem with EVs no one is talking about
Even in California, where electric-car sales are far higher than in the rest of the US, consumers are unaware of the vehicles. Overall awareness hasn't budged since 2014, researchers at UC Davis have found. They recommend increased marketing and consumer education. The electric car has a marketing problem.
From article, (according to Kurani and Hardman, EV awareness has been basically flat since 2014. Meanwhile, over 51 million ne.w cars and trucks have been sold in the US alone over the past three years, and nearly all of them have run on gas. Even in California, where EVs are relatively more popular and charging stations are more widespread, electrified cars add up to just 5% of sales. And Kurani and Hardman point out that many of those sales are to repeat customers, so the EV owner base isn't growing.
Kurani and Hardman have presented the depressing data, but they haven't limited themselves to dispassionately throwing in the towel on an overly ambitious EV future. They recommend that EVs be marketed more aggressively, to raise overall consumer awareness, and they also suggest that electric-car manufacturers and advocates "engage the whole sales chain," focusing on "automobile dealer education and motivation programs."
That's a good idea. Dealers aren't terribly motivated to sell EVs, largely because of all the reasons that Kurani and Hardman have noted. Consumers also need some guidance and hand-holding about how to live with EVs, from charging options to service and maintenance.
It isn't yet time to abandon hope for EVs, but the entire EV ecosystem would do well to do as Kurani and Hardman suggest and come a science-based understanding of what's actually going on with the public.)
"Californians are not deciding they don’t want PEVs, [Plug in Electric Vehicles]" they write. "Rather, they remain to a great extent unaware of PEVs and anything about them."
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