Plug In America’s 2026 Annual EV Driver Survey was the sixth time the organization has fielded a survey to capture the full picture of the EV driver experience in the United States. The extensive survey covered consumer drivers of EV acquisition, electric drivetrain loyalty, consumer confidence in EVs before and after regular EV use, the charging experience, and the purchasing or leasing journey.
Key takeaways
- EV drivers love their vehicles. EV drivetrain loyalty continues to grow. 94.3% of EV driver respondents reported being likely or very likely to acquire an EV for their next vehicle. After collecting new information, we found that, compared with gas cars, over 90% of EV drivers consider their vehicles more fun to drive, easier to maintain, and cheaper to fuel. Additionally, more than 94% of EV drivers consider their vehicles to be convenient, reliable, and safe.
- To know an EV is to love one. Direct experience is the most important factor that builds EV confidence. After acquiring an EV, respondents experienced fewer concerns about battery range, price, and public charging availability. In addition, the number of EV drivers with no concerns at all increased after experiencing one daily.
- Cost savings continue to be an important driver of EV adoption. Inexpensive home charging has long been the incentive EV drivers rely on most (even when federal tax credits were available), and that continues in 2026. 91% of EV drivers agree they save money by driving an EV, and nearly 95% say their EV is cheaper to fuel and easier to maintain than a gas car.
- Most EV drivers don’t charge their vehicles every day. Today’s EV batteries are not only sufficient for daily driving but can often power several days of driving. Even with convenient home charging, less than one-third of EV drivers charge every day.
- EVs are the top choice for daily driving. In 75% of households with both an EV and a gas car, the EV is driven more often.
- The public charging experience continues to improve. The percentage of drivers who use networks other than the Tesla Supercharger Network and report experiencing a non-functional or broken charger in the past year has decreased by almost 10%.
The full report includes deep dives into the data, as well as messages, policies, and programs to prioritize.
Methodology
Plug In America received a total of 4,205 responses, including 3,614 completed surveys and 591 partially completed surveys. The vast majority of the respondents (3,809) are EV drivers. The survey was fielded from January 21, 2026, to March 31, 2026 — after the federal tax credits were eliminated by Congress and no longer available to consumers, but before average national gas prices reached their highest point in late May at over $4.50 a gallon. During the fielding of this survey, gas prices ranged from $2.81 in January to $4.02 at the end of March.
Webinar
Rewatch the webinar hosted by Plug In America on July 14, 2026 discussing the Annual EV Driver Survey findings.
