Momentum for EVs Continues Regardless of Politics

A new Veloz poll unveils Americans’ EV perceptions post-election, including the importance of EV purchase incentives and accelerating U.S. manufacturing.

Sacramento, CA — 60% of Americans say that the results of the November election had no impact on their interest in getting an electric vehicle (EV), according to a new poll commissioned by the nonprofit, Veloz, and conducted by Probolsky Research.  

Conducted in 11 U.S. states in the weeks following the Presidential election, the poll shows EV adoption momentum nationally and regionally in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Georgia, Colorado, Texas, Washington, California, Hawaii and Florida. Key results are below, and the full polling report — including state-level data — is available here. 

“Veloz is strategically interested to understand how Americans’ perceptions of EVs may have shifted following the intense rhetoric of the election season,” said Josh D. Boone, Veloz Executive Director. “The results show that Americans continue to see the value and benefits of EV ownership, and the value of American economic leadership which includes onshoring manufacturing and investment — regardless of party affiliation.”  

Broken down by self-reported party affiliation, 57% of Democrats and nearly 56% of Republicans said the Presidential election did not impact their interest in getting an EV. More than 22% of respondents said it made them more likely to get an EV and less than 18% said it made them less likely to get an EV. In Michigan where the rhetoric was arguably most intense, nearly 63% of respondents said that the election had no impact. Results vary by a few percentage points in each state. For example, in Florida, 62% of respondents said the election had no impact, with Texas coming in at nearly 58% and Georgia at 59%. 

“So far we are not seeing any significant fallout from the election related to Americans’ EV purchase intentions,” said Adam Probolsky, president of Probolsky Research, the firm that conducted the poll. “The poll found that a large percentage of Americans believe that a strong U.S. EV manufacturing industry as important for the economy.” 

When American consumers were asked what country they thought was the leader in EV technology and manufacturing, 42% of respondents said the U.S. was leading. China came in second with almost 28% and Japan was next with almost 18%. In fact, China is the leader in EV technology and manufacturing with EV exports surging 13,300% to $42 billion from 2017 to 2023, when the country accounted for nearly 70% of global EV production. Consequently, more than 77% of respondents believe it is important to support U.S. manufacturing of EVs to compete with China. 

“It’s clear that we need more education about the importance of supporting EV manufacturing,” said Boone. “Private companies around the globe have invested billions and plan to invest billions more in EV components and infrastructure, but there’s little focus on educating about the positive impact EVs and charging infrastructure have on the U.S. economy.”  

Public investments are also seen as critical by a majority of respondents with 67% saying that the government should provide purchase incentives for EVs, and 50% said they would not purchase an EV without the federal $7,500 tax credit. 

“Just like gas and telecommunications companies continue to enjoy federal subsidies, new technology is boosted by government investment. It’s clear that Americans think that EV incentives should be provided by government to support access to clean transportation. The industry will miss out on at least 50% of potential EV purchases if we get rid of the federal EV tax credit,” said Boone.  

Find the full report here.

ElectricForAll.org, powered by Veloz, helps consumers understand how to switch to electric transportation and provides consumers a way to easily find an EV and see all federal, state and local incentives by zip code. Other tools on ElectricForAll.org include: 

About Veloz
Veloz is the power behind the nation’s largest and most inventive multi-partner public awareness campaign for electric vehicles, the architect of events and programming garnering both state and national attention, and the organization bringing together a high-powered, diverse board and members from the public and private sectors. The organization was launched in 2017 and is built on the success of the California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative founded in 2010. Veloz is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit.       

About Probolsky Research

Probolsky Research is a Latina and woman-owned market and opinion research firm that provides insights for corporate, election, government, and non-profit clients. With a commitment to diverse and inclusive methodologies, Probolsky Research delivers reliable and actionable data.

For more information, please contact:

Margaret Mohr
Communications Director, Veloz
margaret.mohr@veloz.org
(916) 365-7220