A Deloitte survey found only electric vehicles aren’t at the top of the consumers’ lists. The Car Pro Show’s Jerry Reynolds says electric vehicles not only cost more than gas combustion engines, but there are also other factors.
“People are skeptical of the range- how far they can go, the cost of charging them, and the long-term reliability.” Reynolds said.
The radio show host says when he asks his callers, why they don’t try a hybrid vehicle- he says it comes down to a comfort level. Reynolds says he himself drives a Toyota Hybrid and that Lexus/Toyota has made hybrids for 25 to 30 years. He says, however, people are slowly coming around. “When you’re driving a hybrid- you don’t know you’re driving a hybrid. The transition from gas to electric is seamless. If they drive one, they’ll notice that, and they’ll buy it.” He said.
In addition, hybrids have the best fuel economy and over time, he forecasts Americans will warm up to the idea. Reynolds added he thought the plug-in Hybrids would have gained more popularity. For someone with a 10-minute commute and a plug-in source at home, they can charge and not have to buy a lot of gas until they go on a long road trip for vacation. He surmised it comes down to affordability combined with comfort level.
He says for now, consumers are experiencing lower gas prices which makes sense to buy a gas vehicle, but gas prices stay in the back of the buyers’ minds. “It's not always going to be that way, they’re going to go back up. Everybody remembers $5/gallon gas. People in California remember gas is $7/gallon. What happens when the goes gas way up?” He asked.
Affordability, comfort level and gas prices remain the driving factors for now. Ford says to answer that, they will offer an electric vehicle for 30K. Reynolds says it's not a “bait and switch” but that’s a base model. The price starts at 30K but may not include all the bells and whistles.