A recent survey by the Global EV Alliance, representing EV driver associations in 38 countries, shows strong loyalty among electric vehicle (EV) owners. Of the 23,000 respondents across 18 countries, 92% plan to buy another EV as their next car. Only 1% said they would choose a petrol or diesel vehicle, while 4% would consider a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), likely viewing its petrol engine as a backup.
Low operating costs drive this loyalty, with 45% of owners citing it as their main reason for sticking with EVs. Other factors include EVs' lower climate impact (40%) and local environmental benefits, such as reduced noise (32%).
However, the survey's interpretation is nuanced. A 2023 study by S&P Global Mobility found that, Tesla aside, many EV households later opted for internal-combustion vehicles, often due to limited non-Tesla EV options. The U.S. Department of Energy also noted that EVs tend to cover fewer miles, suggesting they might not always replace petrol cars directly.
Survey results were weighted by each country’s share of the global EV fleet, with larger markets like the US given more influence.
These findings highlight positive trends for EV adoption, though much depends on consumer options and evolving market dynamics.