Tesla aside, EV buyers aren’t staying loyal to EVs

[fholbert]

Tesla aside, EV buyers aren’t staying loyal to EVs

Excluding Tesla, 52.1% of EV households stayed loyal to EVs this year through July, the study found.

www.newsnationnow.com

While Tesla continues to post industry-leading loyalty numbers, there are now some indications that households are less loyal to EVs from other brands, according to a new study from S&P Global Mobility.

“Nearly half of those non-Tesla EV households that have acquired a new electric vehicle still purchase an internal combustion vehicle the next time around,” according to the study. However, that could be as much a reflection of the non-Tesla EV brands as it is on EVs themselves.

Excluding Tesla, 52.1% of EV households stayed loyal to EVs this year through July, the study found. That means they stuck with EVs, but may have switched brands (possibly to Tesla).

For example, Nissan and Chevrolet EV owners were most likely to stay with EVs, at 63.2% and 60.6%, respectively. However, the most popular follow-up purchase for a Nissan Leaf household was a Tesla Model Y at 14.3%, followed by another Leaf at 12.4%.

Analysts theorized that “doubling down” on EVs could help automakers keep customers loyal to both EVs and specific brands. EV choices are fairly limited at Nissan and Chevy currently, with the latter winding down Bolt EV production without ramping up production of other models. Both brands have more EVs on the way, including a $30,000 Chevy Equinox EV and a new Bolt EV.

“BMW had the highest EV loyalty rate three years ago, but also has not changed that percentage since,” according to the study. In that timeframe BMW discontinued the i3 and shifted mostly to a lineup of EVs that mirror internal-combustion models, so that might have had something to do with it.

 

[smogne41]

Yeah, probably a few things contributing to this. Obvious ones like the CCS network in North America not being great, or an EV just not being convenient for their current needs. Another thing to not be discounted is 'tech fatigue', it is probably not a coincidence that the Bolt and Leaf are probably the lowest 'tech' of all the non-Tesla EVs out there and appear to to have the most loyalty among non-Tesla EVs. Teslas are high tech for sure, A) but it mostly stay's out of your way, and B) mostly works. B is absolutely not true for many other modern cars for sure. Also I know most Tesla owners can't understand that being forced to use a touch screen to adjust basic things fills a significant percentage of the population with abject rage, but I know from first hand experience that is absolutely does. And of all ages as well. Throw in the fact that most car makers make garbage software but insist on shoving as much driver facing 'tech' in as possible and you are gonna have a bad time.

I mean just look at the photo above in your post to understand the kind of garbage design headspace the auto makers are in right now.

 

[jjrandorin]

This doesnt surprise me, but I actually think it will change in the near (next couple of years) future.

Most EVs other than Tesla, up until about 2-3 years ago, were basically "compliance" type cars, with dealerships that did not want to sell them. Any time there might be an issue, and a person takes one of those cars to get service, they get "oh we have to get our EV tech in, might be longer... these things are a pain... grumble grumble".

People see (saw) Tesla as the pinnacle of EVs so, so you bought a different cheaper one to "get your feet wet" then either bought a Tesla to replace it, or went back to ICE vehicles if you found the vehicle didnt meet your needs.

Now, Manufacturers are actually making vehicles that look like decent vehicles, not compliance vehicles.

Couple this with Tesla basically winning the charging standard "war" in the US, so pretty much every brand of consequence here will have the "Tesla port" on it, and it means that a lot of people who bought a Tesla because they didnt feel there was another "real, viable choice" for an EV if they wanted to ever drive it farther than their own city", will actually have other vehicles, and wont have the "but you have to use those other chargers that never work" compromise.

 

[fholbert]

I mean just look at the photo above in your post to understand the kind of garbage design headspace the auto makers are in right now.

I think that Mercedes is a minivan, but I’m not sure. Heck, I’m not 100% which is the front and which is the back?

 

[fholbert]

Couple this with Tesla basically winning the charging standard "war" in the US, so pretty much every brand of consequence here will have the "Tesla port" on it, and it means that a lot of people who bought a Tesla because they didnt feel there was another "real, viable choice" for an EV if they wanted to ever drive it farther than their own city", will actually have other vehicles, and wont have the "but you have to use those other chargers that never work" compromise.

I agree.

Someday Tesla will be the British Petroleum of fueling up EV. Pretty soon you'll be able to buy Pecan Logs at any Super Charger.

 

[strider]

Agree. I think a lot of Tesla loyalty is the SC network. It will be interesting in 2024 and 2025 as the other manufacturers will have transitioned to NACS and Tesla will have opened up the SC network. Charging will no longer be a differentiator and the vehicles will have to stand on their own. I view that as a good thing BTW. Competition will improve the breed and fixing the charging problem will bring more EVs onto the road.

 

[E90alex]

Depending on how exactly the question is worded, it would heavily skew the data.

Did they ask if people would replace their EV with another EV?

Or did they ask if they would still purchase an ICE vehicle for their next car purchase?

Because if you asked me, the answer to both questions would be yes.

 

[Unobtanium]

Went from a c40 p8 ultimate to a ev6 gt. No way Id buy non-EV. Next go around I may consider a Tesla if they do a MYPlaid and up their material quality.

 

[Kandiru]

Legacy auto made sure to create half backed beta tester EVs with ghost design teams, complemented by Dieselgate apology EA and other CCS chargers wtih poor current output and maintenance at inconvenient locations. Oh look, we told you EVs are bad, clap clap from the Board of Executives who also spend time on Big Oil exec. boards. Meanwhile Tesla and BYD are growing exponentially.

 

[smogne41]

Legacy auto made sure to create half backed beta tester EVs with ghost design teams, complemented by Dieselgate apology EA and other CCS chargers wtih poor current output and maintenance at inconvenient locations. Oh look, we told you EVs are bad, clap clap from the Board of Executives who also spend time on Big Oil exec. boards. Meanwhile Tesla and BYD are growing exponentially.

Some did, but some 'get it' and are putting out great products. Hyundai/Kia, Porsche, Volvo/Polestar come to mind as ones really trying.

 

[E90alex]

Some did, but some 'get it' and are putting out great products. Hyundai/Kia, Porsche, Volvo/Polestar come to mind as ones really trying.

I would say a lot are putting out a good effort, especially the Euro/German brands because EV adoption, infrastructure and legislation in Europe are all far ahead of the US.

GM and especially the Japanese are fumbling the ball. Stellantis is just completely MIA at the moment.

GM had a good early start with the Bolt but let it languish and didn’t try to expand the lineup until recently. And now can’t seem to put out EVs in any significant volume despite big promises.

Ford seems like it’s actually trying and listening to customer feedback and putting out meaningful software updates and improvements (albeit at a slow pace).

BMW has pretty competitive offerings considering they’re currently making EVs off a shared ICE platform. Their next gen Neue Klasse dedicated EV platform should be even better.

Mercedes EQ cars have surprisingly good range.