Almost 50% of Electric Vehicle Owners Regret Making the Switch From Gas Cars

A study by McKinsey & Company reveals 46% might ditch their EVs for traditional gas cars. Major regrets? That’s the main driver behind the shift.

Yet, nearly 37,000 EV owners are showing signs of shifting their loyalties.

The U.S. especially feels the pinch, ranking high on the list of countries where the electric dream is a bit disconnected.

A significant 34% of EV owners point to steep costs as a major turnoff, making them rethink if the eco-friendly route is worth it.

Well, 32% of owners find it more trouble than it’s worth, with constant stops to charge dampening the appeal of long journeys.

This issue has led to regret among some owners about their vehicle purchase.

It’s a mixed bag of electric sentiments worldwide.

More Aussies are looking to switch back to gas engines, hinting at deeper issues in the EV experience down under.

This highlights a significant gap in the infrastructure needed to support widespread EV adoption.

40% say there aren’t enough charging spots on major routes to make the leap, putting a damper on those road trip plans.

It’s a bold move aimed at cutting pollution and propelling us towards a cleaner future.

As the U.S. speeds toward an electric future, the road remains unexpectedly bumpy.

A report in 2022 found that because EVs are 30% heavier they emit far more micro particulates on the roadways.

It also noted that recent advances in exhaust technology have brought gas emissions from combustion engine vehicles to new lows.

While EVs often have the nickname of “zero-emission vehicles” for not polluting directly in the atmosphere through a tailpipe, an estimated 18% of the carbon footprint of EVs comes from its battery production process.

Even in California, one of the most progressive states for clean energy, 60% of EV charging relies on the burning of fossil fuels.

“I couldn’t bear to hear them say the words ‘zero emissions vehicle’ one more time,” said Joshua Graff Zivin, a professor of economics at the University of California. “How you incentivize them to charge could really matter. Utilities haven’t thought through it.”

A 2022 analysis from the University of Michigan found that 79% of the country’s energy comes from the burning of fossil fuels. 8% of the energy comes from nuclear and only 13% comes from renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

A 2019 report from MIT found that gas cars emit more than 350 grams of CO2 per mile driven over their lifetimes while fully electric vehicles only emit the equivalent of 200 grams.

US-based EV manufacturer Tesla in April posted Q1 earnings results that shareholders were bracing to be the worst in seven years. Both Tesla and Chinese EV giant BYD had disappointing earnings reports.

So far, Biden has invested $7.5 billion into a network of reliable chargers to help support an eventual transition to EVs.

“China’s unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers,” said a White House statement.

“China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports. In response to China’s unfair trade practices and to counteract the resulting harms, today, President Biden is directing his Trade Representative to increase tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on $18 billion of imports from China to protect American workers and businesses,” the White House statement said.

While these tariffs may make American EVs compete on price a little better, Many American-made EVs are still out of the reasonable price range for many Americans.