US car buyers are warming up to electric vehicles, and they're not only going after the new ones.
People are increasingly interested in used EVs, and online searches for this category of vehicles have exploded in recent months. Cars.com, for example, has seen a huge spike in searches for used EVs – 145 percent in February 2023 compared to February 2022.
Meanwhile, searches for new and used EVs (combined) have increased by 84 percent last month year over year. That said, EV searches still only make up less than 3 percent of total searches on Cars.com.
Rather surprisingly, some of the biggest waves of new interest for electric vehicles in the US aren't coming from the urban coastal centers, but from the very heart of Middle America. EV searches in states like North Dakota (188 percent), Mississippi (129 percent), Utah (125 percent), and Montana (119 percent) have more than doubled year over year on Cars.com.
Other states witnessing strong growth in EV searches include Hawaii (131 percent), Vermont (121 percent), Maine (116 percent), Rhode Island (115 percent), Alaska (108 percent), and Washington, DC (106 percent).
The car-shopping marketplace also found in its most recent consumer survey that 70 percent of respondents are at least somewhat likely to buy an electric vehicle, new or used. Interestingly, over half (51 percent) believe that EVs are affordable, while 70 percent are considering leasing an EV if it should be more affordable than purchasing.
The survey also revealed that more than half of respondents (52 percent) would prefer to buy an EV from a new entrant manufacturer – such as Tesla and Rivian – than a mainstream automaker. This is a significant detail that indicates the effect EVs have on changing brand perceptions in the US automobile market.
While America's EV charging infrastructure is far from ideal, 69 percent of respondents said that charging stations are at least somewhat prevalent around their work or home, with over half (54 percent) saying they currently have access to EV charging.
Cars.com recently launched its second annual EV Buying Guide and its 2023 "Top Picks" for electric vehicles. The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV took the win for Best EV Value, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 ranked first in the Family EV category, the 2023 Kia Niro EV won the Commuter EV prize, and the 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 topped the Luxury EV class.
