After buying an EV, less than 1% of drivers go back to gas cars

Once you go electric, you almost never go back to a gas-powered car. According to a new survey from the Global EV Alliance, over 90% of EV drivers plan to buy another electric vehicle after trading in a gas car. Meanwhile, only 1% said they would return to an ICE vehicle.

EV drivers rarely return to gas cars, a new study shows

The new Global EV Alliance study collected data from over 23,000 electric vehicle drivers across 18 different countries, including the US, Canada, France, India, Brazil, and more.

They found that EV drivers are overwhelmingly more likely to stick with an electric option rather than return to a gas-powered car.

According to the survey (via Bloomberg), 92% plan to buy another EV, while only 1% said they would return to a gas car. Another 4% of those surveyed said they would choose a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The biggest factor behind the decision is the lower operating costs (45%).

Other top reasons for sticking with an EV were that they are more climate-friendly (40%), better for the local environment (32%), have good driveability (21%), and have lower maintenance costs (18%).

2024 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)

If you’ve driven an electric vehicle, then you know why. The nearly silent, smooth ride is impossible with even the most advanced gas cars. Then, factor in almost no operating and maintenance costs, and you can see why EV drivers rarely go back.

With automakers like Tesla offering deals like free three months of Supercharging, you can drive around without paying a penny in energy (which would otherwise add up with gas, oil, fluids, etc.).

Photo: Courtesy of Tesla Inc.

Several new lower-cost EVs are now arriving, making it even more attractive to buy one. Incentives, like the $7,500 US federal tax credit, are putting EV prices on par with their gas-powered counterparts. In many cases, they are even more affordable.

Electrek’s Take

With EV battery prices falling at their fastest rate this year since 2017, electric cars are poised to get even more affordable.

Electric vehicles are already technically superior to gas cars, but as new software, batteries, and other tech develops, they will become even smarter and more efficient.

According to leading EV research firm Rho Motion, global electric sales hit a new record in October, with over 1.7 million EVs sold. China continued dominating the market with 1.2 million EVs sold, up over 50% from October 2023.

Sales in the US and Canada are growing steadily (+9% YTD). With new EV models like the Honda Prologue taking the US by storm, demand is expected to continue rising.

Electric vehicles are expected to continue stealing market share from gas cars over the next few years as new lower-priced, more advanced electric SUVs, sedans, crossovers, entry-level cars, luxury models, and more hit the market.

If you drive an EV, what do you love about it? Would you change anything? Let us know in the comments below.

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