2026 EV Driver Survey: Experience Is Changing the Conversation About Electric Vehicles
Plug In America has released its 2026 Annual EV Driver Survey, and the results tell a compelling story about what happens after consumers actually experience electric vehicles.
Now in its sixth year, the national survey received 4,205 responses, including 3,809 from EV drivers. It examined everything from purchasing decisions and charging habits to operating costs, vehicle satisfaction and whether current EV drivers plan to stay electric.
Once Drivers Go Electric, Most Want to Stay Electric
EV driver loyalty continues to increase.
According to the survey, 94.3% of EV driver respondents said they are likely or very likely to acquire an EV as their next vehicle. That is up from 91.8% in 2025 and just under 90% in 2024. Among drivers who first acquired an EV in 2020 or earlier, that figure rises to 96.7%.
More than 90% of EV drivers also said their EVs are more fun to drive, easier to maintain and cheaper to fuel than gasoline vehicles. More than 94% consider their EVs convenient, reliable and safe.
Those numbers offer an important perspective on the EV conversation. While people who have never driven an EV may have questions or concerns about the technology, the experience reported by people actually living with these vehicles is overwhelmingly positive.
Direct Experience Builds EV Confidence
Perhaps the finding most closely connected with the work of DRIVE Electric Arizona is the effect firsthand experience has on consumer confidence.
Plug In America identifies direct experience as the most important factor in building EV confidence. Concerns declined across every category after respondents began owning or leasing an EV.
Concern about battery range dropped from 70.1% before acquiring an EV to 27.5% afterward.
Concern about vehicle price fell from 43.8% to 8.6%, while concern about access to home charging dropped from 27.6% to 4.3%.
More than one-quarter of respondents reported having no concerns at all after owning or leasing an EV.
That is one of the reasons DRIVE Electric Arizona places such a strong emphasis on EV Ride & Drive events.
Our goal is not to tell someone what vehicle they should buy. It is to give Arizonans an opportunity to experience electric vehicles themselves.
Getting behind the wheel, experiencing the acceleration and quiet ride, seeing the technology firsthand and talking with people who already drive electric can answer questions that specifications and advertisements simply cannot.
EVs Often Become the Household Favorite
The survey also provides an interesting look at what happens when an EV shares the driveway with a gasoline, diesel or traditional hybrid vehicle.
Among households with both, 75.4% report driving the EV more often. More than 60% say the EV is driven much more often.
That suggests EVs are not simply becoming specialized second vehicles. For many households, they become the preferred vehicle for everyday transportation.
Drivers Report Lower Operating Costs
Cost savings remain an important part of EV ownership.
The survey found that 91% of EV drivers agree they save money by driving electric. Another 94.8% agree their EV is cheaper to fuel than a gasoline vehicle, while 95.8% agree it is easier to maintain.
The results reinforce the importance of looking beyond the purchase price when comparing vehicles. Fuel and maintenance expenses can make a significant difference over the years someone owns a vehicle.
No, Most EV Drivers Don't Charge Every Day
Charging remains one of the most common topics we hear about when talking with people who are considering an EV.
The survey provides an interesting reality check: fewer than one-third of EV drivers charge their vehicles every day.
Today's EV batteries can typically accommodate several days of normal driving, meaning many owners simply plug in when needed rather than treating charging like a daily requirement.
Public charging is improving as well. Among drivers using charging networks other than the Tesla Supercharger Network, reports of encountering a broken or non-functional charger during the previous year decreased by almost 10%.
There is still work to do, but the direction is encouraging.
Which EVs Are Owners Happiest With?
The full report also asked drivers to rate their primary EVs across categories including range, charging speed, performance, comfort, reliability and value.
Among models receiving at least 50 responses, some interesting standouts emerged.
The Chevy Equinox received the highest rating for range, while the Kia EV6 led for charging speed. The Ford F-150 Lightning ranked highest for cargo space, the Tesla Model Y for ease of charging and reliability, and the Chevy Bolt for value for the price.
The Rivian R1T was particularly notable, ranking first overall and receiving the highest ratings for performance, safety features, comfort, and styling and appearance.
The variety of vehicles appearing at the top of different categories illustrates something important about today's EV market: there isn't one EV that is right for everyone.
Drivers now have increasingly diverse choices depending on whether their priorities are range, charging speed, cargo capacity, performance, price or something else entirely.
What Does This Mean for Arizona?
For DRIVE Electric Arizona, the report reinforces something we see repeatedly at events across the state.
Questions about EVs are best answered through education and experience.
Someone may arrive at a Ride & Drive wondering whether an EV has enough range, how charging works or what the vehicle is actually like to drive. Giving that person the opportunity to drive an EV and speak directly with an owner can transform an abstract conversation into a real-world experience.
Not everyone who attends an event will decide an EV is right for them, nor should they.
Our role is to provide consumers with the opportunity, information and firsthand experience they need to make that decision for themselves.
The 2026 Plug In America survey demonstrates what frequently happens after people do make the transition.
They overwhelmingly like their vehicles. They report saving money. They often prefer driving their EV over other vehicles in their household. And 94.3% say their next vehicle is likely to be electric.
That may be one of the strongest endorsements of electric transportation available: the experience of the people already driving it.
Explore the Full Survey
Source: Plug In America, 2026 Annual EV Driver Survey.
Read or download the complete 2026 Annual EV Driver Survey Report
You can also visit Plug In America's 2026 EV Driver Survey page .