In 2019, NCDOT commissioned a survey of North Carolinian adults to learn how the public might respond to changing automobile market trends that threaten the viability of long- standing revenue streams to meet the state's transportation needs. In 2020, NCDOT created the “NC FIRST Commission" to study the issue and commissioned a second survey that probed public preferences across potential alternative revenue streams. This report describes the results of a third public opinion survey in 2022 that repeated several prior questions and added new ones about electric vehicles, and additionally, the results of twelve focus groups.
Most residents rated the pavement conditions of North Carolina's roads as “fair" or better, and most said they supported increasing transportation taxes and fees, especially respondents living in urban areas. These results are largely consistent with the previous two surveys. When asked about their preference for specific revenue streams, a plurality of respondents selected increasing the general state sales tax, as opposed to increasing the gas tax or vehicle registration fees or adding a new revenue stream based on vehicle miles driven. Preferences for relying on the state's general sales tax increased comparatively when respondents were given information about specific hypothetical rate increases that were nevertheless mathematically equivalent across the four different types of revenue streams. In the focus group sessions, however, most participants supported a new fee on miles driven to fund transportation in the state.
New questions first asked about electric vehicles in 2022 suggest the public approaches them favorably but cautiously. First, only a slim majority of respondents said they would at least be somewhat likely to consider buying an EV for their next vehicle. Respondents who said they were more likely to consider buying an EV skewed male, younger (between 18-34), liberal, lived in a metropolitan area, or had a household income of $100,000 or more. Also of note, we find that white respondents (47%) were less likely to consider purchasing or leasing an EV compared to non-white respondents - nearly two in three black or African American respondents were open to buying an EV. Within the focus groups, younger participants in urban areas were the most likely to consider buying or leasing an EV.
Respondents only sometimes saw clear differences between electric vehicles and traditional gas and diesel-powered vehicles. Most thought that EVs were more expensive to purchase but they had more environmental benefits than gas and diesel-powered vehicles. However, some respondents were unsure how they compared on reliability or maintenance costs. At the same time, 90% of survey respondents said that maintenance costs were somewhat or very important to them when considering their next vehicle. Factual knowledge doesn't always precede preferences, but gaps in knowledge about the differences between vehicle types might be an obstacle towards the wider adoption of EV in the near future. This was also seen in the focus group sessions, where a sizeable group of participants indicated that they did not feel that they knew enough about EVs to be comfortable driving one as their day-to-day vehicle.
Adoption of EV might be delayed for other reasons. A plurality (47%) of respondents identified the correct average range for EV, but 89% said that a vehicle's range was at least somewhat important to them. Likewise, 92% said the purchase price was important and most correctly noted EV are currently more expensive to purchase. Impact on the environment (68%) was the least important vehicle trait to respondents, and even less so among self- described political conservatives, but environmentalism is a frequent framing dimensions in support of EV versus gas- and diesel-powered vehicles. While environmental impact was the least important vehicle trait to survey respondents, focus group participants frequently mentioned that they associated EVs with being environmentally friendly and that they perceived people who drive EVs as being environmentally conscious, another potential disconnect between consumers and the traditional framing of EVs.
Last, convenience of charging EV emerged as an important consideration and respondents indicated they face challenges on this dimension. Many survey respondents and focus group participants said charging wasn't possible and less than 40% of respondents said charging was convenient at any of these five common locations: where they currently live, where they currently work, at nearby retail establishments, at nearby public spaces, or on long car trips. It is possible that respondents who already have an EV in their household purchased their EV because charging was available and/or convenient for them because they were more likely to report charging an EV was possible where they live, work, shop, and in public spaces. Alternatively, early EV adopters might have become more attuned to the availability and ease of charging their vehicle because of necessity after purchasing one.
