Millions of People Could Use Electric Vehicles

A 2013 survey by the Union of Concerned Scientists and Consumers Union found that 42% of U.S. households meet the basic requirements to use today's electric vehicles, compared to less than 1% who owned one at the time. Specifically, 42% were eligible for PHEVs and 25% for BEVs. The report suggests that widespread adoption could halve projected U.S. oil use and reduce global warming pollution.

• A 2013 survey indicates that 42% of U.S. households are eligible to use current electric vehicles, representing significant growth potential from the less than 1% of households that owned an EV at the time of the study.
• The survey distinguishes between eligibility for two types of electric vehicles: 42% of U.S. households meet the requirements for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), while 25% meet the requirements for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).
• Eligibility for BEVs is constrained by specific requirements, including home charging access, weekday driving of 60 miles or fewer, and owning multiple vehicles or taking infrequent long trips. 69% of U.S. households have weekday driving habits that fall within the range of most BEVs currently on the market.
• A majority of survey respondents (65%) view electric vehicles as an essential component of the United States' transportation future for the purposes of reducing global warming pollution and oil consumption.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2013). Millions of People Could Use Electric Vehicles. https://www.ucs.org/resources/millions-people-could-use-electric-vehicle

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Millions of People Could Use Electric Vehicles. 2013. https://www.ucs.org/resources/millions-people-could-use-electric-vehicle.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Millions of People Could Use Electric Vehicles |date=11 December 2013 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/millions-people-could-use-electric-vehicle |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2013millions, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Millions of People Could Use Electric Vehicles}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2013}, month = dec, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/millions-people-could-use-electric-vehicle}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }