Resource Type: Social Science Research

Convenient at-home charging options and financial incentives are key for encouraging plug-in electric vehicle owners to continue to purchase them. Using survey data from 2015-2019 in California, the authors find that approximately 1 in 5 electric vehicle owners do not purchase an electric vehicle on their next vehicle purchase. Dissatisfaction with home-charging options is the strongest factor determining electric vehicle discontinuance. Having more cars in your household also leads to discontinued electric vehicle use. Finally, those who discontinue electric vehicle use are more likely to say they would not purchase an electric vehicle without yearly incentives to do so.             

In recent polling, clear majorities support the U.S. taking more serious policy action on climate—especially regarding international climate diplomacy. Some topline examples illustrate this: About two in three registered voters (65%) think the United States should be doing more to address global warming; 61% of registered voters think the United States should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, regardless of what other countries do. Seven in ten registered voters (70%) support U.S. participation in the Paris Climate Agreement. More than half of registered voters support providing financial aid and technical support to developing countries to limit their greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., mitigation, 58%) and to help them prepare for the impacts of global warming (i.e., adaptation, 54%). Three in four registered voters (75%) support the United States pressuring other countries to reduce their carbon pollution.