Electric cars aren’t necessarily the answer to everything—just ask their owners. A new Swedish study reveals the common frustrations among electric car drivers.
Overall, electric car owners have a positive view of their choice, but the latest survey from charging operator Zaptec, conducted in collaboration with Sifo, also highlights the biggest points of dissatisfaction.
The study shows that the high purchase price remains the top complaint among current and prospective electric car owners. Additionally, drivers report issues with their car’s range in cold weather.
“The high purchase price is a major factor deterring many people from buying electric cars,” says John Wastring, managing director of Zaptec Sweden, as cited by Boosted.
Based on interviews with 1,032 electric car and plug-in hybrid owners in Sweden, here’s a breakdown of the main complaints:
Expensive purchase price – 46%
Poor performance in cold weather – 42%
Short range – 36%
Long queues at charging stations during holidays – 30%
High cost of fast charging – 30%
Payment required at public chargers – 26%
Too few public charging stations – 24%
Inconsistent function at public chargers – 23%
Worry about battery failure – 8%
Problems with home charging – 5%
For now, it doesn’t look like the biggest complaints will disappear anytime soon. Even as the cost of electric cars and batteries slowly drops, it’s not something consumers are feeling yet.
Additionally, the EU recently imposed a new tariff on all electric cars built in China, which may further impact costs.
