Misconceptions about EVs are slowing adoption in rural Michigan

A new University of Michigan survey of 1,000 rural Michigan residents shows that only 5% of drivers would choose an electric vehicle as their next car. 

In an interview with WCMU Public Media, University of Michigan School of Information assistant professor Sabina Tomkins, lead author of the study, says the reluctance to embrace EVs stems from misinformation and real infrastructure gaps. 

“There are so many people I talk to who say the same thing, like, ‘Oh, I can’t charge overnight,’” Tomkins says. “I don’t really know where that information comes from. I think a lot of the time people just have this belief without checking it.” 

Rural communities also face logistical issues. 70% of respondents in the study did not have access to a fast charger within a five mile radius of places they typically stop. 

“There’s just not enough public charging infrastructure in rural areas,” Tomkins says. “We found there’s some potential for information efforts around overnight charging, but there’s also a real need for infrastructure and policy spending focused on public charging.” 

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Read “Why Michigan’s rural residents are reluctant to drive electric vehicles” on WCMU Public Media. 

Learn more about UMSI assistant professor Sabina Tomkins by visiting her UMSI faculty profile.