• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

A BMW Group survey of consumer attitudes toward electric vehicles finds there's still a gap between the range consumers say they need for their daily driving routine and the range they want before considering an EV.

Seventy-two percent say minimum driving range would be a deciding factor when considering an EV, and 42% say they would want 300 or more miles of range, including 18% who want 400+ miles.

Yet when asked how much range would be enough to get through their daily driving routine, 73% selected just 25, 50 or 75 miles.  

BMW believes that gap points to an important evolution in the traditional range-anxiety conversation: consumers place significant value on total vehicle range even though their everyday driving needs are well within the capabilities of today’s electric vehicles. 

Men are considerably more likely than women to say range would be a deciding factor (80% vs. 64%) and to prefer 300+ miles of range (50% vs. 35%); men are also more likely to believe EVs accelerate faster than a comparable gas-powered vehicle (52% vs. 25%).

Sixty-eight percent of Americans now say they would consider an EV, with respondents citing lower ownership and operating costs (27%), better performance or driving characteristics (19%), newer or more advanced technology (19%) and environmental benefits (19%) among the reasons. 

That broad consideration comes with a clear shift in perception: just 56% of Americans now view EV buyers as “early adopters,” down six points from 62% in 2025, suggesting the early-adopter label is beginning to fade.

Faster charging is also attractive. Fifty-three percent say an EV capable of adding approximately 150 miles of driving range during a 10-minute fast-charging stop would make them more likely to consider an EV. 

The appeal is strongest among younger consumers.  Seventy percent of Gen Z, 65% of Millennials and 52% of Gen X say that capability would increase their consideration, compared with 30% of Baby Boomers. This suggests fast charging may be one of the most powerful levers for reaching younger buyers.

Consumer expectations for charging time are also changing. Fifty-five percent now say 30 minutes or less is an acceptable charging time, up from 48% in 2025, while 76% say one hour or less is acceptable, up from 71% last year.

The survey also explored how new capabilities could change consumers' perception of what an electric vehicle can do. Fifty-seven percent say they would be more likely to consider an EV if it could provide backup electricity to their home during a power outage.

As range and charging capability continue to advance, consumers are evaluating EVs the same way they'd evaluate any other vehicle — on performance, features and value, says Alexander Schleicher, head of E-mobility, BMW Group North America.

“This survey confirms what we're hearing directly from customers: EVs are mainstream now, and the brands that win deliver real range, fast charging and the driving experience people expect,” Schleicher says in a release.

BMW has a growing all-electric lineup that includes the i5, i7 and iX3 50 xDrive, which are at dealerships now. The iX3 M60 xDrive will arrive in first quarter. The iX4 also will arrive in the first quarter, first as the iX4 50 xDrive. The M60 xDrive variant will arrive a bit later in 2027. The fully electric i3 50 xDrive sedan and iX5 60 xDrive SUV will also arrive in early 2027.

This online survey was conducted by Big Village Insights from Sept. 11–13, among a sample of 1,005 U.S. adults 18 years of age and older and weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population. Year-over-year comparisons are to a survey conducted May 7–9, 2025, among 1,007 U.S. adults. Portions of this survey were previously conducted in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.