Only a small minority are outright EV holdouts, everyone else simply needs different things to switch

Only a Small Minority Reject EVs Outright

Just under 10% of respondents consistently reject an EV, regardless of income, housing situation, or age. This stance isn’t tied to any particular life situation: two-thirds of these holdouts live in constrained financial circumstances, while the remaining third is spread across every other walk of life. Their rejection of EVs isn’t an isolated position either, it’s part of a broader reluctance toward new technology: only 12% describe themselves as curious about new technical developments (compared with 37% of all respondents). That shows up in their media habits, too: even editorial media barely reach them. Just 19% read online newspapers (versus 32% on average). The only channels they use more than average are Facebook and their local paper.

Why That Still Doesn’t Mean Everyone’s Ready to Buy

That doesn’t mean everyone else is about to switch, though. The study identifies two further large groups with very different reasons for holding back. For roughly half of all respondents, switching simply isn’t an option right now for practical reasons: the so-called Constrained Majority lack the budget, a place to charge at home, or a suitable used EV to buy. Many also still see public charging away from the motorway, closer to home, as inadequate. Unlike the hardcore holdouts, this isn’t a matter of conviction, it’s a matter of practical circumstances.

A further group of around 16%, often older people who drive very little, are simply content with the status quo: the so-called Comfortable Bystanders would often meet the requirements for an EV but currently see neither the need nor the reason to switch.

A Third Are Already On Board

The remaining third, chiefly the so-called Innovative Status Buyers and Informed Realists, who have the highest budgets of any group, are either actively planning to switch or fundamentally open to it. They form the backbone of the current market, in which one in four new car registrations in Germany is now an EV.

What This Means for Manufacturers, Providers, and Policymakers

For manufacturers and providers, this means growth will increasingly come not just from further tapping the groups already open to EVs, but from clearing the practical hurdles facing the Constrained Majority, while the Comfortable Bystanders need a fresh reason to switch rather than more information. A better supply of used EVs will largely take care of itself over the medium term as more new EVs reach the market.

Charging is where both policymakers and industry have work to do: policymakers can further support the expansion of public charging infrastructure through better framework conditions and targeted funding, for instance in multi-family housing. Now that adoption is really starting to take off, the energy industry needs to keep scaling up its own expansion, too, even though registration numbers have recently fallen short of expectations. General awareness campaigns, meanwhile, are likely to reach mostly people who are already informed.

“Ten percent hardcore holdouts might sound like a small number, but assuming that leaves ninety percent of potential buyers would be a mistake,” says Dr. Axel Sprenger, founder and CEO of USCALE. “For manufacturers and providers, what matters is the difference between genuine rejection, practical hurdles, and simple disinterest. Only by telling these groups apart can you address them effectively.”

About the Study

The EV Adopter Persona Study 2026 surveyed a total of 1,066 combustion-engine drivers in Germany in June 2026, representative by age, gender, and state. It shows which groups are fundamentally reachable for a switch to an EV and what it would take to convince each one, providing a foundation for tailoring messaging, products, and channels to each specific audience.

Further Materials

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About USCALE

USCALE is a market research firm specializing in electric mobility, based in Stuttgart, Germany. The company supports manufacturers, infrastructure providers, and fleet operators with data-driven market research and strategic consulting. More at www.uscale.digital/en.

Contact

USCALE GmbH, Silberburgstraße 112, 70176 Stuttgart, +49 711 620014-0, media@uscale.digital