Judging by recent gas price fluctuations, it seems that Americans would jump at the chance to eliminate their need to purchase tank after tank of expensive fuel. However, a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll confirmed that 57% of Americans would be unwilling to purchase an all-electric vehicle.
One reason for this apprehension is the limited mileage that electric cars can travel before requiring a recharge. The poll defined all-electric as "an electric car that you could only drive for a limited number of miles at one time." As an earlier poll conducted by Nielson Energy indicated, 85% of Americans would be willing to buy an electric car, but only 8% of that group preferred an all-electric car as opposed to a hybrid-electric which has an alternative fuel supply. The fact that all-electric cars have such limited driving ranges has kept most Americans from jumping on the bandwagon.
For example, The Nissan Leaf is a popular all-electric car, but it can only travel about 100 miles between charges. According to Nissan, a seven mile trip with the Leaf could take up to two hours to recharge. Americans with long daily commutes worry that such a car might leave them stranded with no way to recharge. However, Leaf owner Waidy Lee challenges these assertions, telling USA Today that she has a portable charger that she keeps in her trunk, allowing her to travel longer distances without concern.
Nonetheless, Americans still prefer a hybrid-electric version as opposed to the all-electric ones. One popular model is the Chevrolet Volt which lasts 25 miles before it needs its alternative fuel supply. Toyota is also in production for a Prius hybrid-electric. Because of range anxieties, these types of models are more likely to attract consumers than their all-electric counterparts.
In addition to the range, price also contributed to the results of the poll. Aware of the concerns about range, Tesla Motors developed the Roadster which can travel an unmatched 200 miles per charge. The problem is that it costs a whopping $109,000. Tesla is developing an electric Model S to quell the price hype, with its cheapest model at $57,400. The Nissan Leaf is more affordable at $32,000. However, American consumers already feeling the hit on their wallets simply do not want to shell out the extra money for a car that needs recharged every night.
The bottom line is that Americans do not want another inconvenience added to their daily routine. Or maybe no one likes change. Either way, President Obama has made it clear that electric vehicles are the future, pledging that a million electric cars will be on U.S. roads by 2015. It seems that the transition to all-electric cars will happen whether Americans like it or not.