Charging infrastructure remains the biggest obstacle to electric vehicle adoption in the US, even as consumer interest in EVs continues to rise, the 2026 US Electric Vehicle Consideration Study released Friday by JD Power said.
The study found that charging station availability was the leading reason shoppers rejected EVs, cited by 46% of respondents. Concerns about charging time ranked second at 44%. While both concerns improved from a year earlier, JD Power said charging access remains a critical barrier for many buyers.
"While concerns around driving range and public charging are easing, consideration among shoppers who can't charge at home or work has barely moved," said Brent Gruber, executive director of OEM and EV solutions at JD Power. "Without meaningful progress in these areas, a large share of would-be EV buyers will remain out of reach."
The study showed EV consideration remained stagnant among residents of apartments, condominiums, and townhouses, where home charging access is often limited. Only 18% of apartment residents and 17% of condo or townhouse residents said they were "very likely" to consider purchasing an EV, down from a year earlier.
JD Power said many consumers who remain hesitant about EVs have high expectations for charging convenience. Among shoppers who said they were "very unlikely" to consider an EV, 43% said charging availability would need to match that of gas stations, while nearly three-quarters said they would require at least 500 miles of driving range before considering an EV purchase.
Gruber said public fast chargers are often more accessible than consumers realize, but awareness among drivers who do not already own EVs remains low.
Despite infrastructure concerns, overall EV interest increased in April as gasoline prices climbed. The share of shoppers who said they were "very likely" to consider an EV rose to 26% in April, up three percentage points from March, while the percentage who were "very unlikely" to consider one fell to 18%.
The study surveyed 8,154 consumers planning to buy or lease a new vehicle within the next 12 months.