A new report suggests Australians are less likely than Japanese, Korean, German and Southeast Asian consumers to want an electric vehicle (EV) as their next car.
A report from Savvy, underpinned by a Deloitte survey of 26,000 consumers across 24 countries or regions including Japan, United States, Australia, India, Southeast Asia, Germany, China, and South Korea, concluded only eight per cent of Australians would consider an electric vehicle as their next car purchase.
Up to 919 Australians were surveyed.
According to the study, 53 per cent of Australians surveyed said the price premium EVs carry over combustion-powered vehicles was their top concern.
52 per cent of those surveyed said charging times were their top concern, followed by a lack of public EV charging infrastructure at 51 per cent.
The study found over 50 per cent of Australians surveyed would purchase an internal combustion-powered vehicle as their next car, while 20 per cent would purchase a hybrid and 12 per cent would purchase a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
In a similar survey conducted 12 months ago, 68 per cent of Australians claimed they would purchase an internal-combustion vehicle which suggests an increasing trend towards electrified vehicles.
With 8 per cent of Australians surveyed wanting an EV as their next car, our country is on par with the US and India.
China (27 per cent) has the largest amount of consumers who intend to purchase an EV as their next vehicle.
The study found Australian consumers’ top reason for purchasing an EV was lower running costs as fuel prices reach an all-time high.
Other factors that drive consumers in Australia include increased concerns about climate change, lowered maintenance requirements and a better driving experience.
Australia scored the least likely to choose an EV based on a better driving experience. China rated it the top factor in purchasing an EV, while India, Southeast Asia and the United States also rated the factor highly.
The report suggested Australians are the most impatient when it comes to recharging their electric cars, with 47 per cent of consumers expecting to charge their vehicle at a public charger from 0-80 per cent in less than 20 minutes.
Almost 25 per cent of Australian consumers want EVs to offer 600km of range or more. South Korea and Germany are similarly demanding, with 28 per cent and 30 per cent of those surveyed wanting this level of range.
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