The State Of EVs In 2025
Lessons We Can Learn From Market Research
The American automotive sector is an unlikely source of positive news. However the clever adoption of pre-emptive intelligence gathering has provided valuable insight into the difference between politics, perception and consumer behaviour.
Green Policies and Politics
There is a growing sense of dread in the retrofit and renewables sectors that the experience of the Greenlash against domestic policies in Europe might translate to difficult times in the UK retrofit sector.
The idea of the 'Greenlash' popularised by political scientist Nathalie Tocci tied into the common tool used by political lobbies that suggest de-growth and green politics are entwined in a death spiral 'likely to return civilisation to the stone age'.
Barbara TaschBBC News
Eco Dictatorships Described In European States
Pro sustainability organisations in European countries started arming themselves in the summer of 2024 with fact based research to attempt to coordinate accurate responses to the claims being used by those opposed to 'the green agenda'.
At the same time political rallies in the United States during 2024 demonstrated that debate between the two candidates kept circling around climate change as a hard fault line between the two candidates ideologies.
Pre-Emptive Planning
A US firm Verra Mobility had already conducted a deep level market research project in 2023 to understand the adoption rates on EVs in the hard to bust American market.
The company repeated the poll at the time of the presidential elections and the responses contradict the idea of a 'greenlash' and indicate more of a road bump.
With EV adoption rates accelerating globally, the famously gas hungry US market is robustly adopting EVs but still has objections to overcome.
When asked if the presidential election would affect their buying decision, only 14% of survey respondents said 'Yes'.
The response to the survey from Steve Lalla, executive vice president of Commercial Services at Verra Mobility was telling. Steve told us;
“Although there have been market indications that EV adoption rates are slowing down, our analysis indicates steady, albeit more cautious adoption and interest,”
And his parting shot;
“Our survey results echo what we have been seeing and hearing for the last year as we work with customers representing cities, rental car companies, fleets and vehicle OEMs. The overall message we continue to hear is ‘it’s not if, but when’ EVs will constitute a much more significant share of vehicles on the road.”
Acting On Market Intelligence
If you think about the lived experience of the average American consumer. Freeways hum with large engined vehicles pumping gasoline out and slick EV's glide past, quieter, sweeter smelling and in no way indicating that sustainable motoring looks like a stone age choice.
Marketing activities haven't focused on the polarising effect of romanticised gas driven cars being replaced, they have actively highlighted the social, economic and (to a lesser extent) environmental gains.
Informing, exciting and encouraging - the literature of the sector speaks to the bold idea of Americans leading the way, demonstrating by example, pioneers of change adventurers.
Cost - The Ultimate Barrier
The upfront cost of EVs is a barrier to adoption. In the US and in the UK.
British market intelligence reports that heat pump adoption, solar and EVs are all hampered by the same key constraints.
Households are concerned about how their cost of living will be affected by the early charges associated with the capital costs of adopting these technologies.
That's where the Verra team have another lesson for us. The idea of 'Try Before You Buy'.
Although cost of retrofit and EV's are similar barriers, we need to get even more access to the lived experience of retrofit.
Try Before You Buy Retrofit Experiences
Lack of awareness about the experience of living with retrofit technologies is diminishing as more and more UK consumers access open days like the Green Doors initiative and the proliferation of shows exhibiting retrofit technologies.
This activity harnesses direct action to counteract a simple human truth. If you can't imagine yourself in a situation it makes it harder to believe it will happen.
This speaks to the marketing dream concept Maslows Hierearchy of Need.
Guy Parsons
Imagining yourself in a warmer home with a heat pump is easier if you've experienced what it feels like.
Market Intelligence and The Wider Picture
Identifying what your audience needs are, what their objections could be and how you overcome them, you're probably doing that.
Often, the wind of change will blow behind you too. As market sentiment drives UK consumers who are ignorant of the whiles of oil hungry economies.
Our friends in the US might have bet on the wrong side of the renewable energy flipping coin, but we'll only really know over the next four years. What market intelligence shows us is that that with China accelerating it's renewables development we can expect better cheaper tech, look what's happened to the US AI tech bubble for an example.
US pre-eminence has been eliminated in a day. Thanks to energy efficient chips, the Americans developed to throttle the Chinese market.
Peter Hoskins & Imran Rahman-JonesBusiness & technology reporters
UK customers in retrofit, that are resistant to the greenlash may also benefit from other changes, adopting clean heat and electrified energy energy sooner if changes to Demand Side Response roadblocks are removed.
These wider geopolitical and national issues are hard to predict, what isn't is the consumer experience.
Making People Want What You Have Got - Creating Demand
It's one of the obvious benefits of deep level market research. Allowing yourself to absorb the fears and apprehensions your customers have.
Using persona analysis like recent work by the Citizens Advice Bureau on heat pump adoption is a great example of more advanced work. It builds a picture of the different objections and fears people have by segmenting your market research, making your picture of your market even clearer.
Putting yourself in their shoes - helps you build an experience of your product that helps make you devise marketing material that informs, inspires and educates.
Back to the EV example form the US. Eliminating the fears and misconceptions about EV use, enables companies like Verra Mobility, even as headwinds approach to excel.
In the face of difficult government policies, a joined up consumer experience with positive affirmation and effective consistent messaging should keep the momentum going - and that, is why market research, is your friend.