Amidst a global energy crisis where the price of fuel continues to skyrocket, drivers are turning to EVs as a viable, sustainable alternative. And businesses in the US (74%), Mexico (77%) and Canada (61%) are actively looking to attract EV drivers.
This is according to Kalibrate’s ‘The Electric Evolution: Emerging Opportunities and EV Driver Needs’ report which revealed the attitudes of EVs for businesses and consumers.
However, this level of confidence is being paired with hesitation as prospective drivers, businesses and government all look to better understand EVs. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of US businesses are concerned that the energy grid is not suitable for supporting mass EV adoption. Meanwhile, over a quarter (27%) of US businesses go on to say that EVs and EV charging is too unpredictable to make concrete plans.
Nervous drivers
Range anxiety continues to be a prominent issue, worrying 71% of respondents in the US, the highest across all 12 countries surveyed.
Similarly, nearly half (49%) of non-EV drivers are yet to purchase an EV because they don’t know where or how they’d charge it. This fear is grounded in reality with over half (55%) of EV drivers frequently encountering chargers that don’t work.
Yet, for all of the obstacles facing the worldwide electric vehicle charging network, 70% of fuel, retail, convenience and hospitality firms are investing in EVs and EV charging as a top three business priorities in the US and 29% have clearly defined, long-term plans that their board is accountable for; 11% higher than the global average.
Anila Siraj, Managing Director, Alternative Fuels at Kalibrate, said:
“Electric vehicles offer a significant step forward for sustainable energy consumption, but concerns around rechargeability and unreliability continue to hold back widespread adoption. Clearly, President Biden’s ambitious strategy has a role to play here in identifying the demand and ensuring a reliable energy grid. But businesses must research and understand how driving habits are evolving so they can address what is expected.
“EVs will eventually become mainstream so the onus will turn towards organizations to be ready for this next step in the evolution of driving. EVs are not just environmentally friendly, they offer longevity and long-term affordability. It won’t be a quick fix, and neither should it be. Successful infrastructure investment will require years of planning and data-driven decision-making that places charging stations in the optimal location to satisfy drivers’ changing needs.”
Energising a new industry
The advent of a successful EV infrastructure brings with it an entirely new market and completely different consumer habits to match. There are clear monetary benefits to be gained too – 59% of US businesses cited increased store footfall as a direct result of their EV strategy and over three in five (61%) have seen an increase in profit directly due to EV strategies.
An overwhelming 84% of US business decision-makers say that EVs will reshape their competitive landscape over the next three years – nearly 20% more than the global average (65%). And understanding how consumers are changing globally will be critical to any successful network, with a quarter (25%) of EV drivers single and 41% married; two years ago, these figures were 7% and 67%, respectively.
Retail and leisure continue to influence drivers’ journeys with almost a third (32%) of US EV drivers travelling up to 30 minutes several times a week. And EV drivers in the US typically opt for destination parking that offers them an experience outside of their seats e.g., gyms and cinemas (46%) or retail parking facilities (45%).
As for the drivers hoping to kill time whilst charging their EVs, grabbing a drink and/or food (46%), and shopping for essentials (36%) or non-essential (30%) were all considered options.
