Cost remains key barrier to EV adoption, reveals NFDA survey in ZEV mandate’s first year

The first NFDA survey of consumer attitudes following the introduction of the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate in January has revealed that cost remains the primary barrier to buying an electric vehicle (EV).

NFDA’s annual Consumer Attitude Survey (CAS) provides a snapshot of public perceptions of franchised dealers as well as understanding consumer behaviour.

NFDA commissioned JudgeService which conducted a representative sample of 1,500 motorists on a variety of topics ranging from electric vehicles to dealer satisfaction between 31 May and 5 June.

In the context of the country's shift towards electric vehicles following the implementation of the ZEV mandate which stipulates that 22% of new car sales must be zero-emission or face penalties, consumers were asked, “why wouldn’t you consider an electric vehicle?”

Cost remains the primary barrier to EV adoption, cited by 55% of respondents who put ‘too expensive’, followed by ‘concern about the battery life’ (43%). ‘concern about the vehicle range’