A recent consumer survey commissioned by the BMW Group revealed that U.S. consumers are optimistic about the performance and usability of electric vehicles despite barriers such as cost and infrastructure. The survey highlights a growing openness to owning and driving electric vehicles and emerging powertrain technologies while emphasizing the need for continued innovation and investment across the EV ecosystem.
According to the survey, 92 percent of American consumers believe that innovation in EV technology is important, with approximately 30 percent of those consumers calling it "very important."
This openness extends beyond battery-electric vehicles, with 58 percent of Americans saying that they are open to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Awareness of hydrogen fuel cell technology still trails behind that of electric vehicles. Still, this level of interest shows that American consumers are open to learning more about this technology as infrastructure and availability improve.
The survey also found that fewer American consumers see EVs as solely for a niche market. 62 percent of Americans now consider EV owners as "early adopters" of an emerging technology; only 5 percent of Americans believed that this was the case in 2023. Findings also showed that affordability is still a major hurdle for most American consumers, with 40 percent of respondents saying that EV cost is the reason why they haven't purchased one. Meanwhile, 66 percent of respondents said that they would consider purchasing a hybrid or plug-in hybrid before buying a purely electric vehicle.
Overall, there seems to be an increased interest and awareness in EVs throughout the United States. Not only are more drivers aware that these vehicles are available and perform better than ever before, but they seem far more willing to purchase one when they can afford to.
BMW offers several electric vehicle models in the United States, and they are likely to produce more as time goes on. If you are interested in test-driving or purchasing a BMW EV for yourself, visit us today. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have and help you find the right BMW vehicle for you.