SA study shows drivers put off by high prices of EV's
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common on our roads and a South Australian survey suggests more people are ready to buy one. But most drivers are being put off by the higher purchase price, even if there are savings to be made in the long run.
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TVTranscript
00:00 More South Australians are making the switch to electric vehicles.
00:05 For 22-year-old Samuel Moyes, an EV gave him the keys to a better bank balance.
00:10 It saves me so much every single day I drive it.
00:14 He has saved about $2,500 a year after giving up his hybrid vehicle.
00:18 His views are reflected in a recent survey by the RAA,
00:22 showing South Australians are hoping to make the transition.
00:25 Their member survey found that more than 40% of those who responded were considering buying an EV.
00:30 But the main factors preventing people going electric included the cost of vehicles,
00:35 the lack of charging stations and range anxiety,
00:38 while many also cited the rising cost of electricity as an EV deterrent.
00:42 There is also a significant country-city divide.
00:45 Only 33% of country drivers say they would consider buying an EV,
00:50 compared to 49% of city drivers.
00:52 What we've seen is that about half the people are prepared to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 more for an EV to make that transition.
01:00 While some people are willing to fork out the money, three quarters of survey respondents think EVs are expensive.
01:06 They're dearer up front, but you get some advantages over the life of the vehicle, which pay back.
01:12 And depending on how many k's you do, or the efficiency of the vehicle, your payback period can be quite short.
01:17 The RAA have been working with the state government to build more charging stations across the state.
01:22 It's in the country areas where we've really got to do the work to make sure that people feel comfortable
01:27 in buying a car they can use in the city and drive to the country.
01:31 No matter the roadblocks, the transition to EVs is already on the move.
01:35 [BLANK_AUDIO]