America’s EV Adoption Problem Isn’t Going Away
America’s EV market has made progress, but convincing traditional car buyers to switch remains difficult. As we’ve discussed before, electrification depends on more than adding vehicles to dealership lots. Charging access, affordability, and consumer confidence also shape demand.
A study from HERE Technologies and SBD Automotive puts that challenge into perspective. Its extensive report found that just 11% of surveyed US owners of gasoline and diesel vehicles consider an EV as their most likely next purchase or lease. The result suggests that growing infrastructure and wider model availability have yet to translate into strong buying intent.
Existing EV Owners See Things Differently
The study surveyed 4,058 drivers across eight markets and found a difference between current EV owners and people who have not made the switch. In the US, 85% of EV owners rate charging coverage as good or very good, up from 72% in 2025. That is the highest satisfaction figure among the surveyed markets.
Only 42% of non-EV owners give charging coverage a positive rating. The 43-point gap suggests that direct experience may make drivers more comfortable with the network than they were beforehand.
And that’s despite the massive infrastructure progress we’ve seen this year. US public charging points grew by more than 14% between 2025 and 2026, while average charger power increased from 65kW to 83kW, a 28% rise.
In terms of costs, well, that’s a different problem. Just 34% of US respondents believe EVs are cheaper to own than gasoline-powered vehicles. Another 29% say costs are about the same, while 28% consider EVs more expensive.
There is a brighter picture among people who already own electric cars: 77% of US EV owners say they are likely to buy another one. The report also pointed out that the end of purchase incentives in late 2025 contributed to dampened EV sales into 2026.
Hyundai
Better Infrastructure Isn’t Enough
Automakers have two jobs: keep current EV owners happy, and somehow win over the skeptics who still worry about price, charging, and whether an EV fits their daily grind. Sure, faster chargers and more plugs make life easier for EV owners, but that doesn’t mean gas-car drivers are suddenly sold. Carmakers still need to prove EVs make sense for the wallet and won’t mess up anyone’s routine.
Right now, America’s EV market has a first-timer problem. Existing owners are mostly on board for round two, but getting more gas-car drivers to take the plunge is still the real challenge.
About the author
Jacob Oliva
Senior Editor, Autoblog