Electric vehicles represent a new way for people to get around without being dependent on fossil fuels that are destroying the global environment. While they only comprise 5% of the vehicles currently on the road, their sales have seen a twofold increase this past year. In spite of the fact that this is the case, the proportion is still quite small, and that leads to a lot of consumers having some serious misconceptions regarding how they are supposed to work.
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that one of the most useful features of EVs is that their batteries are recyclable. However, 47% of Americans don’t seem to be aware of that. This data comes from a survey of over 1,000 Americans that was conducted by Ascend Elements, and it shows that there is a considerable gulf between consumer perception and reality that can hamper EV industry growth in the future.
39% of survey respondents said that they knew that these batteries could be used repeatedly, but that is still a lower number than those who believe the exact opposite. EV batteries are comprised of five minerals all of which are exceptionally rare and precious. Allowing batteries containing these minerals to go to a landfill would be a real waste, since they can be repurposed and reused time and time again.
However, consumers are on the right track when it comes to assessing America’s global competitiveness in this industry. Around 45% of US based consumers correctly recognize that US is by no means a global leader when it comes to EV batteries. It turns out that 70% of these batteries are actually coming from China, and their dominance is so absolute that no one else can come anywhere close.
In light of this, US President Joe Biden has taken steps to make the US more competitive in the EV battery industry than might have been the case otherwise. He is doing this by investing $2.8 billion into battery production facilities in an attempt to topple China’s hegemony.
Read next: The countries most and least prepared for the cashless economies of the future
With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that one of the most useful features of EVs is that their batteries are recyclable. However, 47% of Americans don’t seem to be aware of that. This data comes from a survey of over 1,000 Americans that was conducted by Ascend Elements, and it shows that there is a considerable gulf between consumer perception and reality that can hamper EV industry growth in the future.
39% of survey respondents said that they knew that these batteries could be used repeatedly, but that is still a lower number than those who believe the exact opposite. EV batteries are comprised of five minerals all of which are exceptionally rare and precious. Allowing batteries containing these minerals to go to a landfill would be a real waste, since they can be repurposed and reused time and time again.
However, consumers are on the right track when it comes to assessing America’s global competitiveness in this industry. Around 45% of US based consumers correctly recognize that US is by no means a global leader when it comes to EV batteries. It turns out that 70% of these batteries are actually coming from China, and their dominance is so absolute that no one else can come anywhere close.
In light of this, US President Joe Biden has taken steps to make the US more competitive in the EV battery industry than might have been the case otherwise. He is doing this by investing $2.8 billion into battery production facilities in an attempt to topple China’s hegemony.
Read next: The countries most and least prepared for the cashless economies of the future
