Nearly half of EV owners in the US want to switch back to ICE cars – study

Several years ago, vehicle manufacturers presented their plans to transition their model lineups to electric vehicles (EVs). Some even set dates for phasing out the production of oil-based vehicles (diesel and petrol).

However, many are now reassessing the future. Sales are dwindling, customer interest is waning, and now nearly half of EV owners in America are considering switching back to petrol. What is happening?

According to a study by McKinsey & Co.’s 2024 Mobility Consumer Pulse, they found that 46 percent of EV owners in the United States want to revert back to petrol due to inadequate charging infrastructure.

This figure is significantly higher than the global average of 29 percent who want to switch back to fossil fuels. 35 percent of global respondents said public charging networks are not good enough.

34 percent said the ownership costs of EVs are still very high, and 32 percent said EVs heavily impact their long-distance driving habits. As of May, the U.S. had 183,000 EV public chargers, but it is still insufficient.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021 allocated a $5 billion grant to build fast chargers, but the implementation is taking too long.

Other reasons given by owners for switching back to petrol include the inability to charge at home (24 percent), concerns about charging (21 percent), and the need for charging mobility (16 percent).

Only 13 percent said they dislike the driving experience. Some drivers prefer combustion engine vehicles, such as 18 percent in the U.S. and 28 percent in Germany.

Interestingly, Americans are not the largest group considering a switch back to petrol, but Australia, with 49 percent of EV owners. On the other hand, Japan has the lowest percentage, with only 13 percent of EV owners willing to revert to petrol.

Other countries with low percentages include Italy (15 percent), France (18 percent), Germany (24 percent), and China (28 percent).