A nationwide research study by Volta Inc., an EV charging network, has found that EV adoption is dependent upon highly visible EV chargers that are conveniently located at the places drivers already frequent. The findings go beyond price and range anxiety to understand top barriers to switching to electric:

• Visibility Is Key: Nearly half (42%) of Americans have never seen an EV charging station, and more than a quarter (27%) of EV intenders still have not.

• Convenience Is A Must, Not A Luxury: 75% of EV intenders rank convenient access to EV charging as their top barrier to making the switch (5 percentage points higher than price); 63% of the general population agreed.

• Optimize for Lifestyle: Americans ranked grocery shopping (73%), dining at a restaurant (70%), retail shopping (69%), working (68%), watching a movie at a theater (64%), and exercising (60%) as top activities they would like to accomplish while charging their EV— all higher than downtime activities like reading while charging (54%).

The momentum behind the transition to EVs continues to build, but further accelerating the switch demands an even deeper understanding of consumer behavior. The results of this study reinforce the importance of Volta’s network design—eye-catching EV charging stations located steps away from the places people already spend time.

—Drew Bennett, Executive Vice President of Network Operations, Volta