EVs Near Gas Cars on Cost, But that Clears Just 1 Hurdle

DETROIT — Electric vehicles nearly match internal combustion vehicles in cost of ownership and the ownership experience, according to a new J.D. Power index gauging the industry’s shift to EVs, as reported by Automotive News.

But wide gaps in four of the six categories measured — including charging infrastructure and consumer interest in EVs — show there is still a long way to go before the two forms of propulsion are on equal footing.

The J.D. Power EV Index, which launches Jan. 17, underscores a dichotomy in the transition to fully electric powertrains, even as global automakers plow billions of dollars into the rollout.

On one hand, U.S. customers who buy EVs rarely go back to internal combustion engine vehicles, and most find today’s battery-powered cars affordable when considering the cost to drive and maintain them as well as their resale value.

On the flip side, rising EV adoption ironically creates bigger infrastructure headaches. That’s because charging networks aren’t keeping up with vehicle sales, frustrating drivers who can’t locate a station or who find one occupied or broken. Meanwhile, the EV adoption rate, which measures the percentage of people who choose an EV when there’s a viable option, has been declining because availability is increasing faster than sales.

Read the full Automotive News report.

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/evs-near-gas-cars-on-cost-but-that-clears-just-1-hurdle/