A study performed by the BMW Group in Australia has revealed that 48% of locals are open to owning an EV as their next car.
While the number of EVs available in Australia continues to increase, the nation is still well behind many others when it comes to EV sales and charging facilities. Nevertheless, the BMW study that surveyed more than 1,000 adults aged between 18 and 75 indicates there is a lot of interest among motorists in electric vehicles.
The survey was gathered amidst a flurry of policies introduced by the federal government to support the uptake of EVs. It also provides insight into the public sentiment towards EVs and the existing charging infrastructure.
While some 48% of total respondents said they would consider buying an EV in the future, an even higher proportion of adult males aged between 18 and 34 said an EV is on their radar. Additionally, some 67% of respondents said they believe EVs are the future of transportation but stated that range anxiety remains a significant concern.
Then there is the all-important issue of charging. Just 31% of those surveyed know where the closest charging station is to their home while only 19% know of the nearest charger to their workplace. Interestingly, Aussies acknowledged that they don’t need an EV with a long range for their day-to-day driving requirements. In fact, two in five said a range of 30 km (18 miles) or less would be sufficient with most stating a range of 60 km (37 miles) or less is enough for their daily driving needs.
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Unsurprisingly, the primary barrier to adoption was the higher prices of EVs.
The release of this survey comes shortly after quarterly sales figures revealed that EVs are gaining popularity in Australia. In fact, the market share of BEVs in the first quarter of 2023 hit 7.4%, an impressive 158% increase over the 2.9% market share they had in Q1 2022.
