Over Half of Consumers Worldwide Now Plan to Go Electric: New Study

The world has reached a tipping point of sorts when it comes to buyers’ intentions regarding EVs. A new study conducted by Ernst & Young reveals that worldwide, a slim majority of consumers say they plan on buying an electric vehicle for their next purchase or lease.

Specifically, 52 percent of respondents (currently planning on buying a vehicle) say their time with a gas-engine vehicle is coming to an end, as shown by the latest Ernst & Young Mobility Consumer Index. The study surveyed people in 18 countries.

Canada: 46 percent say they’re ready
The highest percentages are found among buyers in Italy (73 percent), China (63 percent) and South Korea (63 percent). At the other extreme sit the United States, in which only 29 percent of buyers say they’ll go electric next time out, and Australia (38 percent). In Canada, the figure stands at 46 percent.

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Perhaps the most remarkable data point to come out of the survey is the significant 22-percent increase in the number of respondents green-lighting an EV compared to just two years ago. And those respondents ready to take the leap are, by and large, doing it eyes open: 88 percent of respondents are ready to pay more upfront for an EV; a third of those say they’re willing to pay up to a 20-percent premium to avoid using gas in their vehicle going forward.

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