U.S. consumers show continued momentum for electric vehicles via a J.D. Power survey.

Grant Gerke, Senior Communications Specialist, EVA

J.D. Power’s annual EV Consideration Survey reveals continued electric vehicle (EV) interest. The new J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration (EVC) Study shows that 26% of shoppers say they are “very likely” to consider purchasing an EV, up from 24% a year ago, while the percentage of shoppers who say they are “overall likely” to consider purchasing an EV increases to 61%, from 59% in 2022.

J.D. Power attributes these reasons for higher consideration rates: lower gas prices, inflation, rising interest rates, greater model availability, and charging availability. The survey also shows that “charging availability is growing more slowly year over year – 13% vs. 33% in 2022 – while model availability has increased, with 42% of buyers now having a viable EV model that meets their needs.”

“With all of these influences shaping today’s EV market, the biggest friction point for consideration is the availability of public chargers,” says Stewart Stropp, Executive Director of EV intelligence at J.D. Power. "The growth in public charging isn’t keeping pace with the rising number of EVs on the road.”

JD Power released the results of the EVC Study in June 2023, and survey participation happened from February through May 2023, with 8,136 surveyed consumers. Recently, there have been numerous EV charging announcements and agreements. Tesla opened its Supercharging network to Ford, GM, Nissan, and Mercedes customers, to name a few.

More Findings from the 2023 Study

Longer commutes mean increased consideration. Among those who commute more than 45 minutes each way, 35% say they are “very likely” to consider an EV, which is 14 percentage points higher than among those with a commute of 15 minutes or less (21%).

EV experience helps with purchase consideration. Just 12% of consumers who have no personal experience with an EV say they’re “very likely” to consider one, while that percentage more than doubles to 25% among those who have simply ridden in an EV as a passenger. The ratios continue to climb in proportion to shoppers’ experience with EVs, with a response of “overall likely” reaching 80% among those who have owned or leased an EV in the past.

EV consideration grows with owners looking to replace their vehicle.

• Among owners looking to replace their current vehicle, the percentage of those who say they are “very likely” to consider an EV increases across all powertrain types. Owners of plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) who say they are “very likely” to consider an EV increases 11 percentage points year over year, followed by battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners (6 percentage points).

• Gen Z fastest-growing segment for EV consideration: As more affordable EV models come to market, consideration among Gen Z consumers shows a higher year-over-year increase (6 percentage points) than among other age groups. Gen Y consumers have the highest level of consideration (72%) and the highest percentage of those who say they are “very likely” to consider an EV (37%).

• EV consideration not limited to Tesla: While Tesla remains the most-considered EV brand, the three most-considered models are all from perennial full-line automakers—not Tesla. Notable, however, is that shoppers who are considering a Tesla say charging station availability is a greater reason to buy than those who are considering other EV brands.

How to Start an Electric Vehicle Association Chapter

The Electric Vehicle Association is always looking for new members and new chapters to help educate and inform friends, neighbors, and family about #EV ownership and technology. To start the process, email us at membership@myeva.org. Once you connect with the EVA, you'll receive our chapter Leaders Guide that kicks off the process.