Automakers embrace electric vehicles. But what about buyers?

Steve Bock stands between his new Subaru Outback and his 1965 Ford Mustang at his home in Apex, N.C., on Friday, March 5, 2021. He would like to have an electric car, but says the prices will have to come down a lot before he can do it. Opinion polls show that most Americans would consider an EV if it cost less, if more charging stations existed and if a wider variety of models were available. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed) Steve Bock stands between his new Subaru Outback and his 1965 Ford Mustang at his home in Apex, N.C., on Friday, March 5, 2021. He would like to have an electric car, but says the prices will have to come down a lot before he can do it. Opinion polls show that most Americans would consider an EV if it cost less, if more charging stations existed and if a wider variety of models were available. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)

By Tom Krisher and David McHugh / Associated Press March 16, 2021 7 min read

The world’s major automakers have made something abundantly clear: They believe electric vehicles will dominate their industry in the years ahead.

Yet for that to happen, they’ll need to sell the idea to people like Steve Bock.

When Bock recently replaced his family’s 2013 Honda Pilot SUV, he considered – and then dismissed – the idea of buying an electric vehicle. An EV with enough room to carry his two dogs would cost too much, he decided. And he’d worry about driving long distances with too few charging stations.

“I would consider it if the prices would come down,” Bock said, though leaving open the possibility of buying an electric vehicle next time.

Instead, Bock, of suburban Raleigh, North Carolina, settled on a Subaru Outback. Like nearly every other vehicle sold in the United States, it runs on gasoline.