Survey: US customers buying EVs for tech & not lower emissions

The idea of luxury defined by "what's under the hood", has been replaced by the prioritization of connectivity and integration of digital ecosystems.

Polestar recently commissioned a new survey, which revealed that 55 per cent of EV owners in the USA bought their vehicles for reasons other than environmental benefits. The survey found that majority of the EV buyers in the USA named in-vehicle technology, connectivity & infotainment system offerings as the main reason for switching from IC-engine vehicles to electric.

Gregor Hembrough, Head of Polestar North America stated that the idea of luxury defined by "what's under the hood", has been replaced by the prioritization of connectivity and integration of digital ecosystems.

Although environmental reasons weren't the most important factor when buying EVs, the survey found that younger drivers were more concerned about appearing to be environmentally conscious, as opposed to older buyers who were less worried about it. 12% of young drivers (aged 18 - 24) stated that appearing to be environmentally conscious was a big factor when choosing an electric car over an ICE vehicle. This is twice as much as Millenials (ages 25 - 41) and three times more than older buyers aged between 57 & 74.

Age also played a role in determining the trustworthiness of a brand. Up to 57% of buyers aged between 25 & 40 are confident in new electric car brands, compared to only 28% of older buyers (aged 57 - 74). Overall, 47% of all respondents in the survey were open to new brands and start-ups when buying an electric car.

The survey conducted by Polestar was commissioned by a third-party company which polled over 5000 EV and ICE-vehicle owners across all 50 US states.