While the fashion for electric vehicles is intensifying, whether for cars or motorized two-wheelers, since public authorities everywhere are taking punitive measures with regard to thermal models, a study carried out in California allows us to have more pragmatic feedback regarding the habits of electric vehicle drivers. To have 100% electric vehicles on the roads, this implies that people who convert to electric are satisfied, which seems far from being the case.
In April 2021, researchers from the “National Center for Sustainable Transportation” and the University of California published the results of their study carried out between 2015 and 2018 on electric vehicles, and more precisely on the habits of people who have adopted electric, but also what pushed them to return to the thermal engine.
Thus, the objective was to measure the rate of driver support for these new plug-in hybrid and 100% electric engines. The observation is far from being as positive as one might imagine: 18% of buyers of 100% electric cars and almost 21% of buyers of plug-in hybrids have turned back to return to the thermal engine, cheaper and less restrictive.
The main factors for returning to the thermal engine, according to this study, concern the limited autonomy compared to combustion engines, but above all problems linked to recharging: not practical, too long on a conventional socket. Of course, fast charging stations exist, but this requires investing in specific equipment – especially since American sockets are 120V, which takes almost twice as long as in France to “refuel” .
Add to this that vehicles have made little progress in terms of recharging, and terminals are not common in the streets. In the case of electric two-wheelers, removable and exchangeable batteries seem to be the solution, and this is what Yamaha, Honda, KTM and Piaggio are joining forces on currently.
Better infrastructure, a more affordable price and an improved range would certainly encourage these disappointed Californians to return to the electric motor.
The full study is available on the website of the National Center for Sustainable Transportation.
