How can the US change EV public perception?

Electric vehicles (EVs) sales have grown every year in the last six years, at 51% per year in China and 41% in Europe. The US, however, has seen growth of just 28%. A new report published by the International Energy Agency revealed that electric cars made up just 4% of US sales in 2021, compared with 9% in China and 14% of recent sales in Europe.

It’s public perception holding back progress—according to Desmond Wheatley, Chief Executive of San Diego-headquartered Beam Global, which provides rapidly deployable EV charging infrastructure. He cites two significant problems with public perception, the first being consumer cost. Wheatley feels many consumers become fixated on the sticker price, believing that EVs are more expensive than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.