In the SUV category, which happens to be one of the biggest drivers of car sales, gasoline vehicles were found to have covered 12,945 miles each year, while electric SUVs only managed around 10,587 miles. Overall, there’s a 7,165 vs 11,642 miles gap between electric and ICE cars, respectively. From a brand perspective, the team found that Tesla vehicles are driven more on average compared to electric cars from other players.
As for the reason why electric cars are being driven less than gas-based cars, the team speculates that it is because of gaps in the charging infrastructure due to the inadequacy of charging stations. One must also consider the disparity in the charging tech since the early days of the EV industry. However, with almost every brand jumping the NACS bandwagon championed by Tesla, that situation will likely improve soon.
These findings are not the first such observation of its kind. According to another study courtesy of the National Bureau of Economic Research that came out in 2021, electric cars amassed only half the miles of gas-powered cars while consuming less energy than anticipated by grid planners. The latest research also calls into question the efforts made by policymakers, especially from an investment perspective, as to how much resources should ideally be invested to boost EV adoption in a way that doesn’t amount to over-ambitious expenditure.