Plenty Of Americans Are Considering Electric Vehicles

Thanks to a recent survey done by AAA, we know that a surprising number of Americans say they’re interested in an electric car for their next vehicle. The insurance group found that about one in seven respondents said an EV is in on their shopping list, which rivaled interest for pickup trucks, if you can believe that. These people say they’re looking to buy within the next three to five years, which isn’t too far out.

Before you think all these people are just wanting to hug trees, AAA found other reasons for shoppers considering EVs. Among them is lower maintenance costs, plus the ability to drive in high-occupancy-vehicle lanes on the highway. Even gas prices weren’t listed among the top reasons for interest in EVs, flying in the face of conventional wisdom.

Of course, there’s a gap between interest and taking action. Just because people say they want to get an EV doesn’t automatically mean they will. On the flip side, people who right now aren’t thinking of getting one could be persuaded under the right conditions. With several more automakers about to launch into the market with a variety of all-electric models, anything is possible.

Speaking of which, Volkswagen reportedly wants to build a vehicle charging network that would rival Tesla’s Superchargers. That would help remove a major hurdle stopping people from considering an electric car, and likely fuel big sales in the near future.