Up to 20% Of Electric Vehicle Owners In California Switched Back to Gas, According To Study

When thinking about the switch from a gas car to a battery-powered one, the main concern is charging. With a gas car, pumping a full tank of gas can happen in minutes, while charging an electric vehicle can take up to an hour for a full battery. One of the fastest places to charge an EV battery is at a Tesla Inc TSLA Supercharger station.

A new study published in the journal Nature Energy, covered by Business Insider, shares that nearly 1 in 5 California EV owners switched back to gas after owning an EV.

The main reason for switching back was difficulty acquiring a charge for their EVs. Out of the owners that switched back to gas, more than 70% didn't have access to level 2 fast charging at home. This can charge most electric vehicles from empty to full in 6 to 10 hours, depending on the size of the battery and exact charging speed. 

Nearly 2/3 of EV drivers in the survey said they did not use public chargers. The reason why was not given, but normally it is more expensive and less convenient to charge at these destinations. Also, because EVs take longer to charge, it can be harder to find an open spot. 

Companies such as Nio Inc - ADR NIO are working to make charging faster via battery swap technology. This allows an EV owner to replace the empty battery with a full one in a time that's comparable to filling a tank of gas.

Benzinga's Take: Without fast home charging, owning an EV can be difficult. On a standard wall outlet, most EVs will only gain 3-4 miles of range per hour.

Unless daily driving is minimal, this will not be enough for most Americans. If a larger wall outlet can be installed, 30-plus miles of range per hour can be gained, which can handle even the longest commutes.

But with home renters, apartment owners and others that don't have the option to install faster charging at home, other charging alternatives may be needed. 

Click here to check out Benzinga’s EV Hub for the latest electric vehicle news.

(Photo of Tesla Model Y at a Supercharger courtesy of Tesla.)