The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project listens to California electric car buyers to better understand what drives EV sales. Through direct conversation and extensive surveying rebate recipients, we have gained insight into the motivations of current EV owners. We have developed these top selling points that will help boost sales.

1. Cost Savings
   Consumers want to save money on fuel costs. In fact, with 38% of respondents choosing this as their primary motivating factor, it blew the rest of the suggested reasons out of the water for those receiving rebates.  Consumers have learned that even with compensating for increased electricity use, owning an electric car can save in fuel costs and maitenance costs. Emphasizing the financial savings that come with an electric vehicle can make the difference between “I’ll think about it” and a sale.


2. Reducing Environmental Impacts
   Most people want to lessen their impact on the environment and help reduce air emissions. This isn’t just about fuzzy feelings. A report titled “Environmental Assessment of a Full Electric Transportation Portfolio,” published by the Natural Resources Defense Council with the Electric Power Research Institute, found that if 60% of US light-duty vehicles were powered by the electric grid, carbon emissions from the transportation sector would drop by one-third. This is equivalent to taking 82 million gas-powered cars off the road, and the pollution they produce out of our air. Car shoppers will be interested in buying an EV if you confirm they are making a change for the better.


3. HOV Lane Access
   According to the EV Consumer Survey Dashboard, the Clean Air Vehicle Decal is one of the greatest motivators for purchasing or leasing an EV. The benefits of having a Clean Air Vehicle Decal includes HOV lane access for single-occupancy electric vehicles. This allows the driver to bypass traffic, decreasing their time spent on the road.  

   Of course, there are other reasons that car shoppers want electric vehicles, like increased energy independence or the desire to drive the latest and greatest technology.  For a more in-depth analysis, we encourage you to take a look at the data and results of our survey on the EV Consumer Survey Dashboard.