A new survey of 157,000 participants shows the millennial age group's striking rejection of electric and self-driving cars, according to a new report by Driving Tests cited by Forbes.
Seventy percent of those surveyed said they did not want to buy an electric car, and preferred a vehicle with a traditional combustion engine instead. Similar results were obtained across all age groups, to the chagrin of many in the EV world who have banked on millennial support in the future.
Still, Tesla - the famed electric car manufacturer - was the favorite amongst 13 to 19-year-olds polled by Driving Tests. The driving test simulator site polled 157,000 unique visitors in March and April of this year regarding new trends in mass market vehicles.
Two-thirds of those surveyed also said they held "significant reservations" about riding in a self-driving car.
"We used the word 'striking," Driving Tests founder and CEO Andrei Zakhareuski told Forbes via email, when asked about the results. "And it was striking, given a) all the hype around electric cars, and b) polls that show increasing consumer interest. It was also striking for its uniformity across all age groups. Any thoughts that millennials would be more favorably disposed toward electric cars than seniors were not supported by the evidence."
Most car manufacturers are designing hybrid and electric versions of their existing models to complete with the fully electric and affordable sedans, trucks and SUV's that Tesla will deliver and roll-out over the next couple of years.
CEO Elon Musk's announcement of an upcoming electric truck caused the company's shares to jump by three percent last week.
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"Tesla Semi truck unveil set for September. Team has done an amazing job. Seriously next level," Musk said in a tweet. "Pickup truck unveil in 18 to 24 months," he added in the next post.
The value of the car manufacturer's stock has shot up 41 percent to record levels so far in 2017, making the Silicon Valley company a close competitor with General Motors for the biggest American automaker title.
By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com
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Zainab Calcuttawala is an American journalist based in Morocco. She completed her undergraduate coursework at the University of Texas at Austin (Hook’em) and reports on… More
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