Poll: US majority supports EV transition by 2030, and there's "generational urgency" behind it

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A majority of United States voters support requiring all new cars sold in their state to be electric by 2030, according to a new poll commissioned by nonprofit Coltura.

Nationally, respondents supported phasing out sales of new gasoline cars by a 55%-35% margin. That margin varied by state, narrowing to 50%-38% in Colorado and growing to 66%-24% in New York.

Support for mandating EV sales was particularly strong among voters aged 18-34 (71%), Black voters (69%) and Hispanic voters (67%), reflecting the \”generational urgency\” of climate action and the importance of mass EV adoption to environmental justice goals, a Coltura press release said.

Charging stations at Volkswagen Arizona Proving Grounds

In 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order calling for an end to sales of new internal-combustion vehicles in 2035, and the poll showed Californians are eager to make the switch.  

Of Californians polled, 75% said they had a somewhat positive or very positive opinion of EVs, and 66% of those planning to purchase a vehicle within the next five years said they were likely to go electric. That\’s despite only 41% agreeing that EVs are less expensive to maintain than gasoline cars.

California needs a huge infrastructure buildout to meet its 2035 goal. The state recently approved a $1.4 billion infrastructure plan, but the California Energy Commission said earlier this year that the state will need 1.2 million charging stations by 2030 to meet its goal.

Charging stations at Volkswagen Arizona Proving Grounds

Nationally, the auto industry has set an aspiration goal of 50% zero-emission vehicles by 2030, but that includes plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Similarly, the federal infrastructure bill is just a start toward a full-scale EV transition.

Changing attitudes toward electric cars could help drive more aggressive policy goals.

A couple of Pew polls earlier this year found that Americans see EVs as better for the environment, despite a partisan divide. And nearly a year ago 7 of 10 Americans saw an EV in their future.

Which generations already do support the shift to EVs, and which ones need some convincing yet? Leave your impressions in comments below.

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