Running Electric Survey: Try it, and You’ll Love it!

It is now a tradition to survey our community annually about their opinions and experiences with electric vehicles (EVs). The fifth edition of our survey, conducted as part of the Running Electric campaign, was carried out in November 2023 and attracted 1,979 respondents.* The responses collected allow us to paint a picture of EV drivers and potential buyers, while helping to debunk some of the myths surrounding EVs.

Meeting your needs with an EV: costs, charging and range

This survey highlights the main criteria that influenced respondents when purchasing their EV. According to these participants, the four most decisive factors were government subsidies, range, environmental impact, and pleasant driving.

More specifically, the vast majority of respondents (85%) believe that an EV generates savings compared to a gasoline-powered car.

Confidence in charging has reached new heights since the start of the Running Electric campaign: 84% of participants are convinced that it is easy to charge at home or at work. And 66% of respondents are satisfied with the density of the public charging network for long-distance travel.

Along the same lines, vehicle range meets the majority of household travel needs (for 78% of respondents).

When it comes to environmental considerations, over three quarters of participants also consider an EV to be less polluting overall than a gasoline-powered car. And more than 2 out of 3 respondents agree that driving an electric vehicle is more pleasant than driving a gasoline-powered vehicle.

Overall, the post-purchase satisfaction rate is as high as it has been since the first survey in 2019. To try it is to love it. For participants who own a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), more than half see their purchase as a transition to a 100% electric vehicle.

EVs on the rise in households

We also like to survey potential EV buyers to understand the perceptions of those who do not currently own an EV. We learn that 40% of these respondents are considering the purchase of an EV within the next two years.

The big question of delivery times was also surveyed. The answers will reassure the most skeptical on this issue: 35% of respondents who bought a plug-in vehicle obtained it in less than 3 months, while the vehicle was delivered in less than 6 months in 46% of cases.

The survey for the Running Electric campaign confirms that, year after year, EVs are becoming increasingly popular among participants. The share of combustion-powered vehicles in respondents' fleets is eroding over the years. Indeed, since 2018, within participating households, the presence of gasoline-powered cars has seen a 23% decline, while the share of EVs has increased by 29%. We can conclude that electric vehicles are gradually replacing combustion vehicles among these families.

*Survey conducted online among respondents who participated in at least one Running Electric activity or subscribed to its communications during 2023.