Critical Shifts:
-
Consumer Interest Rebounding: Despite a plateau in overall sales volume, EV consideration saw an April bump driven by rising gas prices. Currently, 25% of new-vehicle shoppers are "very likely" to consider an EV (up 1% year-over-year), and 35% are "somewhat likely."
-
Federal Tax Credits: Interest in EVs has remained resilient and continues to grow among certain shoppers despite significant policy shifts, including the repeal of federal tax credits.
-
Generational Differences: Younger shoppers (Gen Z at 32% and Gen Y at 35%) view purchase price as their primary barrier, while older generations focus more on practical infrastructure issues like charging time and availability.
-
The "Unlikely" Shopper Bottleneck: Consumers who are "very unlikely" to buy an EV demand extreme parity with gas vehicles: 56% refuse to pay any price premium, 73% require a minimum 500-mile range, and 43% expect charging stations to be as ubiquitous as gas stations.
-
The Housing Infrastructure Gap: EV consideration is stalling for buyers who cannot charge at home. Only 18% of apartment residents and 17% of condo/townhouse residents are "very likely" to consider an EV, both down year-over-year.
_____________________________________________
Electric vehicle (EV) sales volumes may have plateaued, but consumer interest has not faded, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration (EVC) Study. In fact, the recent surge in gas prices has helped to boost consideration, with 26% of new-vehicle shoppers saying they were “very likely” to consider purchasing an EV in April—up 3 percentage points from the previous month. Meanwhile, the share of shoppers saying they were “very unlikely” to consider an EV fell 4 percentage points month over month to 18% in April. That April bump in consideration helped drive the overall percentage of new-vehicle shoppers who say they are “very likely to consider an EV to 25% (up 1 percentage point year over year) in 2026, while 35% are “somewhat likely,” unchanged from a year ago.
“Despite ongoing policy changes, including the repeal of federal tax credits, a growing number of new-vehicle shoppers remain interested in EVs,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of OEM and EV solutions at JD Power. “At the same time, there continues to be gradual but important progress in key rejection reasons among shoppers such as purchase price, charging availability and range anxiety over the long term. Taken together, these trends offer automakers – and other stakeholders across the EV ecosystem – a clearer view of where barriers are easing and where friction remains, helping prioritize the areas in which to focus product, infrastructure and investment strategies moving forward”
Overall, charging station availability remains the leading reason for EV rejection among shoppers this year, though it has declined 6 percentage points year over year to 46%. Charging time, the second-most common concern, has also improved, falling 2 percentage points year over year to 44%. Purchase price rounds out the list of top three reasons for rejection at 42%, down 1 percentage point year over year and down 5 points versus 2024. However, among shoppers who said they were not likely to consider an EV in April 2026, purchase price is the second-most frequently cited reason for rejecting an EV, up from third in March. “Despite a positive overall trend, recent data is showing that vehicle prices are currently playing a more significant role in deterring shoppers from EVs,” said Gruber.
Shoppers who say they are “very unlikely” to consider an EV show little tolerance for tradeoffs. More than half (56%) are unwilling to pay any price premium; nearly three-quarters (73%) would require at least 500 miles of range to even consider an EV; and 43% expect charging availability to match that of gas stations.
Purchase price ranks among the top concerns for Gen Z1 and Gen Y shoppers, with 32% and 35%, respectively, citing it as a barrier to EV adoption, whereas older generations place greater emphasis on practical considerations such as charging time and availability. The ability to charge at home is the ultimate convenience for many current EV owners, but among shoppers who are unable to do so, EV consideration is not progressing. Only 18% of apartment residents and 17% of condo/townhouse residents say they are “very likely” to consider purchasing an EV, down 4 and 1 percentage points, respectively, year over year.
The EVC Study, now in its sixth year, is an industry benchmark focusing on gauging fully electric or battery electric vehicle shopper consideration. Study content includes overall EV consideration by geography; demographics; vehicle experience and use; lifestyle; and psychographics. It also includes model-level consideration details, such as “why buy” findings and analysis of reasons for EV rejection. By delivering both long- and short-term monthly data on the trends influencing consumer interest in EVs, the EVC Study gives automobile industry stakeholders the most current view possible of ebbs and flows in demand, helping them execute timely market education and customer engagement strategies. This year’s study measures responses from 8,154 consumers who intend to buy or lease a new vehicle in the next 12 months and was fielded from January through April 2026.
