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Staff Writer

Electric Car Owners Say Not Again

Nearly half of American electric vehicle owners are considering a return to gas-powered cars, citing frustrations with charging infrastructure and costs, according to a new McKinsey study. This trend poses a significant challenge to the Biden administration's ambitious EV adoption goals.



Nearly half of American electric vehicle (EV) owners plan to switch back to internal combustion engine models for their next car purchase, according to a new study by McKinsey and Company. The study, reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation, reveals that 46% of EV owners cite issues such as inadequate charging infrastructure and affordability as reasons for their preference to return to traditional vehicles.


This trend highlights the challenges facing the Biden administration's push for EV adoption. A June poll by The Associated Press and the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute found that 46% of respondents were unlikely or very unlikely to purchase an EV.


Additionally, McKinsey's study indicates that 58% of Americans are very likely to keep their current cars for longer, and 44% are likely to postpone switching to EVs. Concerns about EV charging infrastructure are significant, especially considering the slow progress of the Biden administration’s $7.5 billion public EV charger program, which has resulted in the construction of only a few chargers over nearly three years.


The Biden administration aims for EVs to make up 50% of all new car sales by 2030. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized regulations requiring up to 56% of light-duty vehicles to be EVs by 2032 and has implemented strict emissions standards for medium- and light-duty vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has also set fuel economy standards to push manufacturers toward more EV production.


Despite substantial government subsidies for EV production and purchase, manufacturers are still incurring significant losses on their EV lines. In 2023, EVs accounted for less than 10% of all auto sales in the U.S., according to Cox Automotive.

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