PICKUP TRUCK BUYERS IN THE U.S. REMAIN UNSURE ABOUT EVS: SURVEY

With the age of electric vehicles just ahead of us, there has been an onslaught of new EVs hitting the market as of late. This is particularly true in the pickup truck segment, where companies like General Motors, Ford, Tesla, and Rivian have all made waves with their upcoming machines. And while these vehicles have certainly garnered a ton of interest online, traditional truck customers are still a bit hesitant towards these battery-powered pickups. Reuters and Ipsos have just completed a poll of American buyers that highlights this, with two major factors coming to the forefront. More specifically, Americans want electric pickup trucks that are more affordable and more durable than their gasoline counterparts before they’ll consider owning one.

The Poll:

The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online between June 3-4, 2021, with the final data representing the responses from 1,005 adults. According to the publication, this allows for a credibility interval of four percentage points, so keep that in mind as we move through the results.

Pickup trucks are a way of life in the United States, according to 67 percent of the respondents in Reuter’s poll. This is not a surprising figure, as pickups drive a huge percentage of American automakers profits here in the States. That said, the majority of respondents are still rather lukewarm on the idea of electric trucks and other EVs in general. Reuters notes that respondents don’t want to worry about the inconveniences involved with EV ownership, and are concerned about the potential costs involved. In fact, 43 percent believe that EVs are not worth the higher price tag they command today. That said, 65 percent did note that electric vehicles are the future of the auto industry. The latter point was divided along political lines however, with 78 percent of Democrat and 53 percent of Republican respondents believing in the all-electric future.

Pickup Trucks And The EV Question

Respondents were also asked to consider the factors that go into buying a new pickup truck. Unsurprisingly, the environmental impact of the new utility vehicle was not a common worry. In fact, only 19 percent of respondents said they’d consider a truck because it’s better for the environment than their current vehicle. The most popular reasons for looking for a new pickup truck are quite different: 38 percent would look for a cheaper truck to operate, while 34 percent prioritize something that is durable. EVs promise all of these things, but the real world evidence has yet to be seen.

The data highlighted by this poll falls in line with what we’ve seen from other reports. American truck customers don’t particularly care for the idea of an EV, stemming from concerns related to pricing, durability, and convenience. If the electric pickup truck is genuinely going to take off in the United States, these are the areas that automakers need to address. That said, all of these issues represent quite a challenge. The cost of electric vehicles isn’t guaranteed to go down, as the price parity discussion itself is flawed. Furthermore, we need massive infrastructure changes before the convenience factor can really be addressed. It doesn’t seem like automakers are too concerned however, as more of these battery-powered machines are announced everyday. Have you considered an electric pickup truck? Let us know why or why not down below!