Survey Says: Considerable Interest in Electric Vehicles Across Racial, Ethnic Demographics

A September 2022 report by the Union of Concerned Scientists based on a Consumer Reports survey finds high interest in electric vehicles (EVs) across all racial and ethnic groups in the US, despite current adoption disparities. The report identifies that while charging logistics and cost are universal barriers, the specific nature of these concerns varies: Black and Latino respondents are more concerned with maintenance and repair costs and personal safety at charging stations, while white and Asian American respondents prioritize purchase price. The study emphasizes a strong correlation between firsthand EV experience and purchase intent, noting that systemic housing disparities (such as higher rates of renting or multi-unit dwellings among Black and Latino populations) limit access to affordable home charging. Policy recommendations include expanding used EV incentives, improving public and workplace charging infrastructure, and implementing culturally relevant community outreach.

• Interest in purchasing or leasing an electric vehicle is high across all racial demographics, with communities of color showing equal or greater interest than white consumers. Specifically, 52 percent of Asian Americans, 43 percent of Latino, 38 percent of Black, and 33 percent of white respondents said they would "definitely" or "seriously consider" an EV as their next vehicle.
• While cost is a general barrier, the specific financial concerns differ by race. White (60 percent) and Asian American (66 percent) respondents are more likely to cite purchase price as the primary issue, whereas Black (54 percent) and Latino (48 percent) respondents are more likely to identify maintenance and repair costs as a deterrent.
• Charging logistics are the primary concern for all groups, but the preferred solutions vary. White Americans place a higher emphasis on the ability to charge at home (49 percent), while Latino Americans show a higher interest in workplace charging stations (16 percent) compared to white Americans (9 percent).
• Personal safety at charging stations is a more significant concern for communities of color than for white Americans. This was reported by 15 percent of Asian, 12 percent of Latino, and 11 percent of Black Americans, compared to 6 percent of white Americans.
• There is a strong positive correlation between firsthand experience with EVs and the likelihood of purchase. Individuals with the highest level of experience were nearly 10 times more likely to definitely consider an EV than those with the least experience, with seeing an EV in one's neighborhood being the strongest predictor.
• Systemic housing disparities impact EV adoption because Black and Latino respondents are less likely to own their homes and more likely to live in multi-unit dwellings, which reduces the viability of home charging—the most affordable charging method.
• Information gaps persist in Black and Latino communities; among those not definitely planning to buy an EV, 13 percent of Black and 10 percent of Latino Americans felt they did not know enough about electric-only vehicles to make a purchase, compared to 5 percent of white and 2 percent of Asian Americans.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2022). Survey Says: Considerable Interest in Electric Vehicles Across Racial, Ethnic Demographics. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/ev-demographic-survey_0.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Survey Says: Considerable Interest in Electric Vehicles Across Racial, Ethnic Demographics. 2022. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/ev-demographic-survey_0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Survey Says: Considerable Interest in Electric Vehicles Across Racial, Ethnic Demographics |date=September 2022 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/ev-demographic-survey_0.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2022survey, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Survey Says: Considerable Interest in Electric Vehicles Across Racial, Ethnic Demographics}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2022-09/ev-demographic-survey_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }