Poll: 71% Of Republicans Would Never Buy Electric Car

Semafor reports:

Elon Musk might be one of them now, but Republicans still say they aren’t open to buying electric cars. According to a new poll by research and analytics firm Gallup, a whopping 71% of GOP voters say they would never purchase an EV.

That’s compared to 38% of independents, and 17% of Democrats. The group finds that just 4% of Americans currently own an EV.

The new survey comes just as the Biden administration rolls out major new pollution regulations aimed at speeding up the car market’s transition to electrics.

Gallup reports:

While EVs are significantly more expensive than conventional vehicles to purchase, proponents say the long-term savings on fuel and less upkeep of electric vehicles make them a better choice financially.

In addition to cost, proponents of EVs say they help with climate change because they do not emit greenhouse gases and pollutants to the same degree that gas vehicles do. Yet, this idea that electric vehicles help to address climate change is not universally accepted by Americans.

While about four in 10 U.S. adults think using EVs helps address climate change “a great deal” (12%) or “a fair amount” (27%), roughly six in 10 believe it helps “only a little” (35%) or “not at all” (26%).