Do Electric Car Owners Want to Turn in Their Cars

According to a recent McKinsey Mobility Consumer Pulse 2024 Overview, 46% of current EV owners are likely to switch back to traditional Internal Combustion Engine car. There are many reasons listed but the challenges with finding a charger and the time it takes to charge are high on the list.

I have been hearing of range anxiety for years. When I first bought my Tesla Model Y, I installed a level 2 charger in my home. This allows me to charge my car every night if I so choose. It may take between 4 and 5 hours to do so but that does not bother me since I just need to remember to do it before I go to sleep. By charging to 80%, I have a listed range of roughly 230 miles (more like a realistic range of 175 to 180 miles). This does not like a lot but other than trips I do not typically drive 175 miles on a daily basis. So range has never been an issue for me at home.

When I travel, I have taken my Tesla on trips of upwards of 1,300 miles. My Model Y will notify me of where and when I need to charge. On trips, my effective range is between 220 and 240 miles depending on speed and electronic usage. The headache of charging on the road is that it definitely takes longer. You have to plan on spending 30 to 40 minutes at a supercharger (which is about 20 minutes longer than filling up your car with gas, going to the bathroom and buying a drink). So on a 1,300 mile trip, you have to figure that it will take you at least 3 hours longer with an EV than a gas powered car. I think it is time for people to get over the range anxiety.

I can understand if people feel that EV’s are overhyped or expensive so they want to go with a traditional ICE but it is hard to believe that after owning an EV you still have range anxiety. My advice to these folks is to suck it up or just revert back to the good old days and start to use your rolodex again.