Why Northeastern drivers won’t pull the trigger on buying electric cars
A recent survey by Consumer Reports found 35 percent drivers in nine Northeastern states would consider an electric vehicle for their next purchase or lease. That’s far behind California, where more than half of drivers will consider going electric next time they buy a car.
But 55 percent of respondents in the Northeast said they “have interest’’ in EVs and their technology package.
So why the gap between Northeasterners who are interested in EVs and those who are likely to actually buy one? There are a few factors at play.
Limited options
The survey found consumers in the Northeast have fewer EV options than their counterparts in California and that a greater availability of electric vehicle technology could expand the market in the region.
For example, some electric vehicles like the Fiat 500e and the Chevrolet Spark EV are unavailable in all Northeastern states, while all models are available in California.
Data from Edmunds.com indicated only 733 plug-in electric vehicles were available for purchase in the Boston region since the start of 2016, and 1,733 were available around New York City.
During the same period of time, Edmunds.com found over 5,800 plug-in vehicles for sale within 50 miles of Oakland, California and 8,200 available in Los Angeles and the surrounding area.
Without more electric vehicles available, consumers have a more difficult time finding vehicles to test drive. The survey found over 88 percent of respondents would not buy a vehicle without conducting a test drive.
Under the radar
In addition to a lack of availability, Josh Goldman, policy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, the group that conducted the survey in partnership with Consumer Reports, said many consumers did not know about EV incentives offered by Northeastern states.
In a phone call with Boston.com, Goldman said only 15 percent of respondents were aware of the benefits available in their own state and less than 20 percent knew of incentives available from the federal government.
Massachusetts offers a rebate of up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of a new “clean’’ vehicle, which includes EVs, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell electric vehicles. The federal government offers a tax credit of up to $7,500 for EVs and plug-in hybrids.
Goldman said states should do more to publicize the availability of EV incentives, a move he believes could bring more consumers into the market.
“Policymakers need to recognize there is a demand for EVs in the Northeast and that EV technology is ready to meet the needs of millions of drivers,’’ said Goldman. “This technology is not still in the research and development stage. It’s ready for mass deployment. Continuing incentives that are already on the books and enacting additional incentives will drive this technology further.’’
The survey was conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists and Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports.
The study included 1,213 randomly selected licensed drivers in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The survey focused on these states because California is leading the charge in electric vehicle sales and the nine Northeastern states have adopted California’s tight emission regulations.
Here 9 cars that don’t run on gas:
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