Veloz survey: 74% of US non-EV drivers interested in going electric
A national survey commissioned by Veloz, the Sacramento-based nonprofit behind the Electric For All campaign, found that 74% of American adults who do not own an electric vehicle (EV) say they are interested in buying one, up from 58% in a comparable 2025 survey. The 16-point rise followed a 12-month, multi-channel education campaign funded by Electrify America and designed to address practical concerns around charging, cost and everyday ownership.
The poll was conducted by BSP Research across 1,800 licensed non-EV drivers in all 50 states between 22 and 30 June 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Veloz noted that the 2026 baseline, measured before campaign messaging, was already 65%, suggesting ambient interest had grown since 2025 even without direct exposure.
Who is moving toward EVs
The survey's most commercially relevant finding for the EV industry is the breadth of the shift. Groups historically underrepresented in EV purchase data registered some of the largest gains. Women's interest rose 14 points to 69%; adults aged 60 and over increased 14 points to 52%; households earning below $40,000 rose 12 points to 67%. Latino respondents reached 86% interest and Black respondents 87%, among the highest of any group measured.
Geographically, so-called Tier 2 states, where EV adoption has been slower, including Texas, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, recorded an 11-point rise to 74% interest. Republican respondents increased 8 points to 70%, and independents 11 points to 72%. These numbers matter because the next phase of US EV mass-market adoption depends on converting buyers in exactly these demographics and geographies, rather than deepening penetration in already-saturated coastal urban markets.
Market context
The results land at a sensitive moment for the US EV market. Retail sales growth slowed through 2024 and 2025 as early-adopter demand was absorbed and affordability barriers persisted for middle-income buyers. The survey's evidence that lower-income households and older consumers are becoming more receptive is relevant to the strategic positioning of OEMs, charging-infrastructure operators and policymakers who have argued that consumer education, rather than technology, is the binding constraint on adoption.
Electrify America, which funded the campaign through a brand-neutral grant, and Ford Motor Company are named as partners in the initiative. Robert Barrosa, president and chief executive of Electrify America, said clear information about charging and savings "can help consumers make more informed decisions and build confidence in going electric." The campaign ran across broadcast TV, streaming, social media and out-of-home formats, generating more than 5.16 billion impressions and 4.6 million visits to ElectricForAll.org over its 12-month run.
The findings should be read alongside the survey's design: respondents were measured before and after exposure to campaign messaging in a single research period, which means the within-wave uplift of 9 points reflects a prompted response rather than an organic market shift. Year-on-year comparisons carry more weight, but the methodology is self-reported purchase interest, not transaction data. Conversion from stated interest to signed purchase contract remains the harder test.
Policy tailwinds and headwinds are both live variables. Federal EV tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act's Section 30D remain in place for qualifying vehicles and buyers, but income caps and vehicle-price limits constrain eligibility for the lower-income households showing the strongest interest gains in this survey. State-level incentive variation, documented on the ElectricForAll.org portal, adds further complexity for buyers outside California and the Northeast.