Just 16% of U.S. adults report they’re “likely” or “very likely” to purchase an electric vehicle as their next car, according to a new survey by AAA. That’s the lowest level since 2019, when 25% of American adults thought it was likely or very likely that an EV would be their next purchase. And it spells bad news for America’s transition away from the internal combustion engine.
The percentage of Americans who said they’d be unlikely or very unlikely to purchase an EV for their next car is 63%, up considerably from 2022 when it was 51%. People who say it’s neither likely or unlikely they’ll buy an EV make up 21% of sample, slightly down from 24% in both 2022 and 2023.
The most common reason people cite for interest in EVs is to save money on gas, with 74% of Americans in the survey bringing up that topic. The second most common was “concern for the environment,” which was mentioned by 59%. Only 22% said their interest in EVs was driven by cutting edge technology, and 10% said they expect their state to ban gas-powered vehicles.
What’s really behind the decline in interest in EVs? AAA didn’t provide a look at the crosstabs to give a sense of any potential political leanings of the respondents, but it’s safe to say that one big element probably involves America’s most famous electric car enthusiast: far-right Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Tesla reported a 13% drop in vehicles sales and 71% drop in profits last quarter, largely driven by the polarizing actions of the company’s leader. Musk joined President Donald Trump’s government as the head of DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, and took a chainsaw to the federal government. Musk even brought a literal chainsaw on stage in a now-infamous moment in February from CPAC with the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, a fellow far-right political figure who’s imposed extreme austerity on his country.
But arguably the biggest hit to Musk’s public image was his two Nazi-style salutes at a rally on Jan. 20, the day Trump was inaugurated for a second time. The billionaire later denied he was giving Nazi salutes but the general public seemed unconvinced by his explanations. A decade ago, Musk’s image with upper-middle-class liberals was generally positive, a good thing for Tesla as the largest EV manufacturer in the country. But Musk’s most important target market has now soured on the billionaire and it seems like the entire EV industry could be taking a hit.
For the survey, AAA conducted 1,128 interviews among U.S. adults. The margin of error was +/- 4%. AAA notes that as interest wanes in electric vehicles, consumers still may find interest in hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. And it will certainly be interesting to see whether EV enthusiasm will rebound in the coming years. The question, it would seem, is whether other car companies can step up to the plate and deliver electric vehicles that Americans are excited about. Or, in another scenario, is whether Musk can pretend like he’s not a far-right extremist and hope that his most valuable customers start buying his cars again.
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