Battery replacement costs are the leading concern among consumers hesitant to buy electric vehicles (EVs), cited by 23.2% of undecided or reluctant shoppers, according to a study by PulseAI Research. Battery safety and fire risks ranked second at 20.9%, followed by long charging times at 20.1% and battery degradation at 19.8%.
The study, titled The Great Indian Switch, surveyed 1,300 consumers across India and covered two-wheelers and four-wheelers. It found that 50.1% of active vehicle shoppers were seriously considering an EV, while 49.9% remained undecided or unlikely to choose one.
Lack of convenient charging was cited by 17.8% of reluctant or undecided shoppers, compared with 13.5% who identified the upfront purchase price as a concern.
An eight-year battery warranty was the most preferred measure to build confidence among hesitant buyers, selected by 30.7% of respondents. Long-term reliability data followed at 30.4%, while low-interest EV loans and free or discounted charging packages were cited by 28.1% and 27.5%, respectively.
EV pricing remains sensitive to subsidy removal
Among shoppers with annual household incomes of ₹20 lakh to ₹50 lakh, 82.9% said they wanted EV prices to remain close to those of petrol, diesel or CNG vehicles if subsidies were withdrawn.
However, 68.4% of respondents in this income group said they were willing to pay 21–30% more for an EV. Only 9.2% said they would still purchase an EV regardless of subsidy removal, indicating that willingness to pay a premium varies with purchase conditions.
The findings suggest that pricing expectations and the availability of incentives remain relevant to purchase decisions, even among households with higher annual incomes.
Daily travel distance linked to EV repurchase intent
The study found a difference in repeat-purchase intent among existing EV owners based on their daily travel distance. Among owners travelling more than 60km a day, 80% said they were likely or very likely to choose an EV again. The corresponding share among those travelling fewer than 10km a day was 41.7%.
Reported ownership experiences also varied by daily usage. Positive experiences were recorded by 67.5% of owners travelling more than 60km daily, compared with 32.3% among those travelling fewer than 10km.
Across primary EV owners, 48.1% described their ownership experience positively, while 38% reported a neutral experience and 13.8% reported a negative experience or regret. These results indicate an association between daily travel distance and reported ownership experience, rather than establishing a causal relationship.
Fuel prices and household EV ownership influence consideration
Fuel price volatility could influence purchase decisions, with 72.5% of EV-ready shoppers saying fluctuations in petrol and diesel prices would increase their interest in electric vehicles. The study also found that 68% of respondents said learning about E20 petrol increased their interest in EVs.
Existing household exposure to electric vehicles was associated with a higher level of consideration. Among conventional-vehicle shoppers who already had an EV at home, 77.4% were seriously considering an EV, compared with 41.4% of those without one.
The study also found that 53.5% of consumers considered hybrids an attractive transition option.
Commenting on the findings, Siddhartha Nangia, co-founder of Smytten and PulseAI Research, said the results showed that consumer interest in electric mobility could coexist with concerns about pricing and ownership. He said the research was intended to identify the factors influencing purchase decisions.