Consumers still wary of electric cars, prefer other alternative fuels

July 5, 2011 By Mike Dunn

Despite the visibility of new electric cars like the Nissan Leaf and Telsa S, a new survey shows that electric cars are consumers' last choice when it comes to alternative fuels.

Are you still trying to decide between a new hybrid car or an all-electric vehicle? If so, then you might be in the minority of consumers. The results of a survey released today depict a bleak outcome for alternative fuel vehicles. The survey asked consumers what alternative fuel they preferred between gasoline-electric hybrids, compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen fuel cell (HFC), and electric vehicles (EV).

Not surprisingly, gas-powered vehicles are still preferred over all alternative fuels, and hybrids came in a close second. The shocker is that EVs came in dead last, and 40 percent of people thought EVs were the least preferable alternative-fuel choice. In recent years there have been a resurgence of electric vehicles. Tesla got the ball rolling with it’s Roadster, and it’s yet-to-be-released sedan the Tesla S. Nissan created the first mass produced EV the Nissan Leaf, and several other car makers are planning on following suit, including Ford with its all-electric Focus. It seems that car makers are jumping on the electric bandwagon before consumers are.

The survey goes on to outline the main concerns buyers have with alternative fuels, which mostly boil down to money versus convenience. The average user expressed that if they were going to spend an extra $1,000 on an alternative fuel vehicle, they would require at least one of the following: $300 saving in driving cost over 12,000 miles, a vehicle range increase of 17.5 miles, or a 7.8-minute decrease in total refueling time. Using this information, it’s not hard to see why hybrid vehicles are so popular: not only will the driving cost drop, but you also gain an increase in driving range.

That being said, it’s also easy to see why EVs are the least desirable; they have a greatly reduced driving range and currently do not have the refueling infrastructure needed to compete with gasoline or gasoline hybrids.

Showing 14 comments

Damon Schmitt at 10:40pm 9th December 2011 Due to the intensive processes used to harvest rare earth metals, and the overall difficulty in collecting them..... and the fact that a large amount of the electricity you are fueling your car with is derived from Coal..... it is very hard to show that current electric cars are either more affordable OR better for the environment.I'm all for moving beyond gasoline, but remember that the car companies are in the business of marketing, not fixing the planet.
Tom at 11:43am 9th July 2011 There are still a lot of people who live in apartments - and electric car is not feasible for them until charging stations are installed in parking spaces so they can charge at home.
Daniel Kemble at 8:07am 6th July 2011 If you build it they will buy it they just need to make it accessible and affordable!
Damon Schmitt at 5:31am 6th July 2011 People are wary of electric cars because currently they are little more than a marketing tool, and a waste of rare earth metals.
Robert Gaulin at 5:20am 6th July 2011 REVIEWERS are killing the electric car...stop crapping all over the electric cars in reviews and maybe ONE will make it to market...nothing is ever perfect the first time out but you gotta let it come out first!
Cassie Reeder at 4:16am 6th July 2011 I think most people are smart enough to realize that electricity still has to come from somewhere, be it nuclear, coal, or something else. Most common sources for electricity are no more enviornmentally friendly than oil is...
Che Venturelli at 4:15am 6th July 2011 Earth+Humanity=RIP
Mike Dunn at 8:46pm 5th July 2011 I was thinking about this on my drive this weekend from San Francisco to LA. It would be impossible in the foreseeable future to make the trip in an EV on a single charge, and there is no place to charge it, unless you want to spend the night. I don't see many people wanting to take a week to drive from SF to LA. I think of all the alternative fuel options EVs are the closest to becoming main stream, but it's going to take more then just car companies making them, we are going to need to see charging stations popping up all over the place.
1. Ian Bell at 9:03pm 5th July 2011 Even if there was a charging station, how long does it take to charge the car? A couple hours?
  1. Mike Dunn at 10:02pm 5th July 2011 Nissan leaf has a fast charge option, if you can find a 480volt plug, that will charge up the battery from dead to 80% in 30 minutes, but you are only supposed to use the fast charge option once a day, or it will kill your battery.
2. Alphonso at 3:39am 6th July 2011 Concerns over driving range are very understandable. I think the lack of infrastructure is a big deal, unfortunately the companies that would have to build that infrastructure are only concern with making money now, as opposed to slowly converting and building for the future. The transportation industry as a whole needs to work together. Build high speed (Mag Lev) trains and EV cars. More EV Cars used = less gas bought, = more in surplus, = more for the airlines, = lower priced tickets, then you can fly from SF to LA. Though I've read that the coastal drive is beautiful. We could save money and the environment.
3. Alphonso at 3:41am 6th July 2011 Concerns over driving range are very understandable. I think the lack of infrastructure is a big deal, unfortunately the companies that would have to build that infrastructure are only concern with making money now, as opposed to slowly converting and building for the future. The transportation industry as a whole needs to work together. Build high speed (Mag Lev) trains and EV cars. More EV Cars used = less gas bought, = more in surplus, = more for the airlines, = lower priced tickets, then you can fly from SF to LA. Though I've read that the coastal drive is beautiful. We could save money and the environment.
Stephan Brunet at 3:34am 6th July 2011 The Thing people forget most about the range is "THEY DON'T NEED IT" . I work about 10 or so minutes away and maybe stop by the store or 2 on the way home.I would get WAY more than I need in an EV and so would most people.
Ian Bell at 6:03pm 5th July 2011 I think a lot of people have the fear that they will be stranded in an all electric vehicle. Obviously this will be a slow evolution for the industry. If people can simply get 40 MPG from a gas engine, then that is the best deal right? After all, it's about saving money, not necessarily the environment for a lot of people unfortunately.