Education gaps stymie stronger growth

While there’s continued demand for EVs, it’s also clear that there’s a knowledge gap preventing more consumers from making the switch to electric. The challenge for the industry now is to reach beyond the segment of early adopters who already have a plug-in model or two, and reach mainstream car shoppers.

And while lofty transition goals and Super Bowl ads can generate emotional demand and attach a coolness factor to the cars, they’re not addressing the reality that many of those mainstream consumers simply don’t understand how EVs work—how to charge them at home, where to find chargers in public, and whether “range anxiety” is a real concern given their driving habits.

This gulf between the automakers’ big promises of an electric future and their inconsistent follow through—combined with the lack of public awareness—has given consumers pause. And that’s a problem that Super Bowl ads, priced at $7 million for each 30-second slot, are unlikely to solve.

“If it turns into overpromise and under-deliver too much, then people start calling BS,” said Matt Teske, founder and CEO of EV charging app Chargeway. “We’re starting to see that play out.”