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Key Takeaways from Plug In America’s 2024 EV Driver Survey: Insights into EV Charging Habits and EV Market Dynamics

Plug In America, in collaboration with EPRI’s EVs2Scale2030 initiative, has unveiled its fourth annual EV Driver Survey. The 2024 survey offers a comprehensive view of the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) market, featuring data from more than 4,200 respondents, including over 3,300 EV drivers. This year’s survey highlights evolving trends in consumer charging habits, demographic shifts and the overall EV experience.  

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Here are the key takeaways: 

Strong Likelihood of Future EV Purchases 

An overwhelming 89.4 percent of EV drivers indicated that their next vehicle will likely be an EV, consistent with 2023’s 89.6 percent. This high level of loyalty is particularly pronounced among older consumers and Tesla drivers, with 92 percent of those aged 65 and older and 94 percent of Tesla drivers expressing strong intentions to purchase another EV.  

Environmental Protection Remains a Primary Purchase Driver

Environmental concerns continue to be a significant factor for EV buyers, with 40 percent citing clean air and environmental protection as their main reasons for choosing an EV. However, this motivation varies among demographic groups. While environmental protection remains crucial for many, factors such as cost savings, performance, and safety are increasingly important for younger and minority drivers. 

Charging Habits: Overnight Charging Dominates

 The majority of respondents (61 percent) prefer to charge their EVs overnight, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Only 5 percent reported lacking access to home charging, a figure that likely does not fully reflect the broader population. (A survey by business intelligence company Morning Consult shows 78 percent of U.S. adults do not have access to EV charging where they park their vehicles.) Despite the prevalence of home charging, only 26 percent of respondents utilize special rates offered by their electric utilities, highlighting an opportunity to for utilities to bridge the information gap and empower EV drivers to optimize their charging habits. 

Public Charging Challenges and Opportunities

Concerns about public charging infrastructure remain prominent, with many drivers still facing issues related to the availability and reliability of public chargers. The survey also found that while DC fast charging serves as a supplementary option for most EV drivers, its usage is increasing across all car types and makes. This shift underscores the growing availability of fast charging infrastructure and highlights the potential for continued improvements in accessibility and user satisfaction for all EV drivers. 

Improved Home Charging Experience 

Per this year’s survey, it’s clear that concerns about home charging setup and wiring costs have diminished over time. While 37 percent of respondents initially worried about home charging access, only 12 percent continue to have these concerns. The installation process for home chargers is generally perceived as straightforward, with 87 percent of respondents describing it as “easy” or “very easy.” 

State-Specific Insights and Market Growth

The survey included significant responses from California and Texas, which is unsurprising considering California ranks first nationally for EV adoption (Fleet News Daily) and Texas ranks third (Recurrent Auto). Overall, the U.S. saw more than 1.4 million EV sales in 2023, marking a 50 percent increase from 2022. Despite this growth, electricity generation decreased by 1.1 percent, demonstrating that energy efficiency and managed charging practices can accommodate increased EV adoption. 

In Summary 

The 2024 EV Driver Survey from Plug In America reveals a market in transition, with high satisfaction and strong intentions for future EV purchases. However, challenges remain, particularly in public charging infrastructure and the equitable distribution of charging resources. Lynkwell is committed to addressing these gaps through its comprehensive charging solutions, including its intuitive cloud-based EV charging software platform and diverse catalog of more than 500 hardware options. By providing reliable, future-proof infrastructure, Lynkwell is leading the transition to electric mobility. 

Interested in more insights like this? Get an inside look into the latest developments in the EV charging industry by subscribing to Lynkwell’s newsletter, “Plugged In.”