EV interest is rising. Now the ownership experience must deliver

As electric vehicles (EVs) move from early adoption into the mainstream, a survey conducted as part of the HERE-SBD EV Index 2026 found that 27% of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle owners are much more likely to consider an EV than they were a year ago. Even so, only 17% identify an EV as the vehicle type they are most likely to purchase or lease next.

Produced by HERE Technologies and SBD Automotive, the HERE-SBD EV Index 2026 combines HERE proprietary data and other market data sources with the views of drivers. Its market-readiness analysis uses four equally weighted, driver-centered metrics to compare 50 US states and Washington, DC, 30 European countries, 34 Indian states and union territories and, for the first time, eight Australian states and territories.

A separate survey asked more than 4,000 EV and non-EV owners in the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, India and Australia about vehicle ownership, what might persuade non-EV owners to switch to an EV and the experience of charging networks among EV owners. In this article, EV refers to vehicles powered entirely by a battery-electric powertrain.

Beyond early adoption

“We’re moving into the early majority, which tends to be a more hesitant group than the innovators and early adopters,” said Dave Ball, Senior Consultant at SBD Automotive.

Seven in 10 people surveyed say fuel price increases have raised their interest.

Consideration is also being influenced by improvements in range, charging speed, access to home or workplace charging and a wider choice of EV models.

The results also vary considerably between markets. In Germany, 27% of combustion-vehicle owners identify an EV as their most likely next vehicle, the highest proportion of any market surveyed. In the US and Italy, the figure is 11%.

Ball said the US and France are the more skeptical markets, although attitudes have improved since last year.

“There are signs of increasing interest and receptiveness toward EVs, which is positive for the industry,” he said. “That may not immediately lead to conversion, but the picture is more positive than it was last year.”

When asked how they felt about automakers planning to stop producing gasoline and diesel vehicles in the next 10 to 15 years, one Australian ICE-vehicle owner said: “I get why they’re doing it, but 10-15 years is a long time. I’ll keep driving my gas-powered car until it’s actually impractical to do so.”

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Ownership exceeds expectations

“A lot of the things people worry about prior to purchase are much less of a concern when they have experience with the car,” Ball said.

Of the EV owners surveyed, 68% say the charging experience was better than expected, while 67% say the same about range. Globally, 76% of current EV owners say they are likely to buy or lease another EV as their next vehicle.

But range can still influence which EV a buyer chooses. Ball ordered a MINI Aceman but doubted whether its claimed range would be enough for the occasional long journey.

“For 95% of my journeys, the MINI’s range would have been fine,” he said. “But I found myself thinking about the one long journey I make once or twice a year.”

The MINI order was later canceled, and Ball has since ordered a Volvo EX30, drawn in part by its longer range. His experience shows how someone committed to going electric may still be influenced by the journeys they make least often.

"People have been filling up at gas stations for a long time and it's just something they've become comfortable with,” Ball added. “I think the same thing happens once you learn to live with an EV."

Public charging still shapes journeys

Even though 68% of EV owners say the charging experience was better than expected, 54% claim to have avoided a trip at least once because they were worried about finding a charger.

“Many of those owners may do most of their charging at home,” Ball said. “That can produce a positive reaction to the overall charging experience even if they still have concerns about using public chargers on longer journeys.”

Despite those concerns, attitudes toward public charging are improving, and the leading barriers to EV adoption have eased since 2025. Limited availability of charging stations remains the top barrier, selected by 40% of all respondents. However, this has fallen by seven percentage points since 2025. Driving range remains the second-largest barrier at 37%, down six percentage points.

Public charging perceptions are also improving. Half of all respondents now rate local public charging coverage as good or very good, up from 41% in 2025. The strongest improvement came among American EV owners, whose positive perceptions of charging availability rose from 72% to 85%—the largest year-on-year increase of any surveyed group. This may partly reflect their direct experience of using charging infrastructure.

However, this sharp improvement among EV owners sits alongside the continuing infrastructure concerns expressed by some ICE vehicle drivers. When asked about the planned phase out of ICE vehicles in the next 10-15 years, one US ICE vehicle owner explained their opposition bluntly: “Because we don’t have enough charging stations in the USA. Build them first.”

Read more: Hydrogen fuel vs electric batteries: which is better for EV range?

Value for money tops motivations

Better value for money is now the leading motivator for buying or leasing an EV, selected by 36% of respondents. Lower running costs follow at 34%, while environmental benefits rank third at 33%, rather than first as they did in last year’s survey.

“I have been very happy with this one so far and the running costs are much lower,” said an Australian EV owner.

Environmental benefits remain important, but the proportion selecting them has fallen by seven percentage points since 2025. As EVs reach a broader group of buyers, affordability and everyday practicality carry more weight.

“For many consumers, price will be the core driver,” Ball added.

Hybrids may slow the shift to battery-electric vehicles

A positive experience with an EV doesn’t guarantee that its owner will choose another. Hybrid consideration among EV owners has risen from 23% to 28% year on year. This includes plug-in hybrids, conventional hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles.

“If a plug-in hybrid can cover most journeys on electric power but still gives you the fallback of an engine, that will be attractive to someone who has doubts about the capabilities of a fully electric vehicle,” Ball said.

Several manufacturers are broadening their powertrain ranges rather than committing exclusively to fully electric vehicles. Ball believes this could make the next group of EV buyers harder to convert.

“Hybrids could slow EV adoption as the market moves into these later segments,” he added.

For Ball, the clearest sign that EVs have reached the mainstream will not be existing owners buying their second or third electric car. It will be drivers who are currently weighing several powertrains making a firm decision to go electric.

“The clearest sign will be when considerers become intenders,” he said. “They will have overcome the barriers they had put in place and made the decision to buy an EV.”