March 10, 2021
Escalent, a top human behavior and analytics firm, today released the latest EVForwardTM DeepDive to closely examine electric vehicle (EV) shopper attitudes regarding industry leader Tesla, Inc. The findings challenge common perceptions of the factors that contribute to Tesla’s success and position as the global leader in EV adoption.
“While perception among industry experts suggests Tesla is beating traditional automakers in the EV adoption race due to an extraordinary affection for the brand or its polarizing leader, consumers told us they are drawn to the company’s products themselves,” said Mike Dovorany, Automotive & Mobility vice president at Escalent. “In fact, among respondents who are shopping for or already own an EV—Tesla or otherwise—Elon Musk is among the top drawbacks in their consideration of the brand.”
Top five attributes driving consideration of Tesla:
- Range
- Performance and acceleration
- Styling
- Build quality
- Vehicles are new and different
Further, Tesla’s vehicles are living up to the expectations of those who ultimately decide to purchase them. Most Tesla owners point to 10 or more factors that positively impact their consideration of the brand.
Additionally, Tesla drivers rate the company’s integrated approach to the EV ownership experience extremely positively. As a result of offering a one-stop-shop approach to sales, financing, service, chargers and navigation, 91% of Tesla owners and 70% of non-Tesla EV owners indicated they are more likely to consider a Tesla for their next purchase.
That said, there is vast potential for other EV brands, but success does not lie in trying to copy Tesla in every way. Consumers make clear which of Tesla’s attributes are key to EV success and which cause pause or concern.
To learn more about what EV owners and shoppers say Tesla is getting right—and wrong—join Escalent’s Mike Dovorany for an informational webinar on Thursday, March 18 from 2 pm to 2:30 pm ET.
Click the button below to register for the webinar today.
About EVForward™
Escalent EVForward™ is the largest, most comprehensive study of the next generation of EV buyers. The program provides rich, actionable analysis based on an unrivaled quantity and quality of inputs to inform the steps that industry players need to take today to inspire broader adoption of EVs and ensure their success with future buyers.
This EVForward DeepDive was conducted among a national sample of 1,003 respondents and included a survey, focus groups and industry expert interviews between December 21, 2020 and February 19, 2021. These respondents are a subset of the EVForward database, a national sample of 10,293 new-vehicle buyers aged 18 to 80 that is weighted by age, gender and US state to match the demographics of the US new-vehicle purchaser population and by vehicle segment to match current vehicle sales. The sample for this research comes from an opt-in, online panel. As such, any reported margins of error or significance tests are estimated and rely on the same statistical assumptions as data collected from a random probability sample. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.
