10 Reasons for Americans To Hate Electric Vehicles

44% of Americans say they would rather pay $10 a gallon for gas than drive an electric car. Why such strong feelings? I would rather cry and walk to the grocery store instead of paying that much for gas. But this is how strongly people feel about the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. 

Transition to clean transportation? We would rather not. But why? 

Here are ten reasons to hate EVs. 

Range Anxiety

The average range for a new EV is 250 miles, while the average range for a full gas tank is 400 miles. This means that I will have to worry about refueling about twice as much when I’m driving an electric vehicle. And with the charging stations as rare as they are, range anxiety is a reasonable worry. 

Charging Infrastructure

There are over 150,000 gas stations conveniently located throughout the United States. But there are only about 50,000 charging stations. What does that tell me? There aren’t enough places to charge my car. And if there aren’t enough charging stations, I will be in constant panic mode while I’m on the road. 

Upfront Costs

According to The Zebra, the average new car costs around $34,000. But the average electric car? Those cost an astounding average of $67,000. I don’t usually have an extra $33,000 lying around to spend on a car, so this is a massive difference to the average American, especially when a gas car can get you from point A to point B just fine. 

Limited Model Options

As of March 2023, there are only 40 electric models available on the market. Now, there are a lot more options coming out in 2024, but the reality is that there are just not many electric options out right now. And if you need a pickup truck or SUV, then you’ve got slim pickings to choose from. Do you want an EV? I hope you’re not picky. 

Home Charging

Did you know that home chargers cost extra? Tack an additional grand onto that $67,000. And then you have to pay for professional home installation on top of that, which is another $500 – $1200. 

And this is assuming that you own a home. If you live in an apartment, then you don’t have the option of a home charger, and you have to rely on the public charging infrastructure, which we’ve already established needs some work. 

Lack of Knowledge

If I need my oil changed in my gas-powered car, everyone knows how to do it. I can take it to the local mechanic, call my dad, ask my neighbor, or even look it up on YouTube and do it myself. But if I have issues with my electric car, not only am I lost, but there seem to be no mechanics who are willing to dig into the issues of an electric vehicle. 

Resale Value

Do you know how iPhones quickly lose their value because technology is changing so quickly? Every year, a software update and new hardware makes last year’s model undesirable to most. This same concept applies to EV technology.

EVs depreciate almost twice as fast as gas-powered cars, and that’s because their technology is so new. Automakers are sailing in uncharted waters, and while these first models will likely have issues, they will get better and better as they go. 

Environmental Concern

The whole idea behind EVs is that they are better for the environment and will help reduce greenhouse gases. But some people are actually concerned that the opposite is true. There are more emissions emitted in the production of an EV than a gas-powered car, and while there are no tail-pipe emissions from electric cars, you have to stop and wonder where all these electric batteries filled with lithium-ion are going to end up in the coming years. 

Political and Cultural Influences

President Joe Biden has made his stance known, and he is all in on the idea of electric cars. Former President Donald Trump has also made his stance known, and it couldn’t be more opposite. Electric cars are quickly becoming a symbol of political ideologies, and I personally don’t want my car to tell the tale of my political stance. 

Fear of the Unknown

Earlier this year, research was done that showed one of the main reasons that women are hesitant to buy an electric car is because they don’t know enough about them. And this makes total sense because EVs have been available to the public for only a few years.

It’s completely natural to have questions about maintenance, repairs, and overall ownership, and this alone may make consumers hesitant to take the wheel of an all-electric ride.