Do you agree? New study says the big thing stopping Australians buying EVs isn’t range or charging
Forget range anxiety and the hunt for a public charger. New research says the biggest issue standing between Australians and their next EV is much simpler: price.
New national research has found purchase price is by far the biggest factor influencing whether Australians will buy an electric vehicle, ranking around three times higher than concerns about range, charging infrastructure or even running costs.
The finding comes as Australia’s EV sales accelerate at the same time as a rapid shift towards more affordable models. This shift is led by a wave of new Chinese arrivals pushing battery-electric vehicle prices towards and even below $30,000.
READ MORE: New findings: Australia’s EV boom is reshaping the used car market as record sales feed future supply
READ MORE: Warranty data blows up battery myth: It’s the electrical system that’s the more common EV reliability problem, not the batteries!
READ MORE: Renters missing out: Homeowners dominate EV buying as affordability gap widens
Sydney-based market research company Conjointly surveyed 1464 Australian adults in July 2026 and found 27 per cent nominated purchase price as the number-one factor influencing their decision to buy an EV.
That compares with nine per cent for environmental impact, nine per cent for trust in EV technology and nine per cent for running and maintenance costs.
Range and battery technology was the top concern for only seven per cent of respondents, while another seven per cent nominated charging infrastructure.
The results suggest the rapidly intensifying EV price war could be attacking the biggest remaining obstacle to broader adoption in Australia.
The BYD Atto 1 is now Australia’s cheapest EV, priced from just $23,990 before on-road costs, while the recently launched Geely EX2 starts at $26,490.
The GAC Aion UT has joined the battle at $31,990, but a cheaper model has already been promised.
Conjointly’s research also found Australians remain cautious about making the switch to EVs.
Only 27 per cent said they were somewhat or very likely to purchase an EV as their next vehicle, compared with 48 per cent who said they were somewhat unlikely, very unlikely or would never buy one. Another 25 per cent were undecided.
Importantly, Conjointly’s definition of an EV for the survey included both battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, so the results cannot be interpreted as indicating 27 per cent of Australians intend to consider a pure battery-electric vehicle.
The research also exposes a substantial generational divide.
Among Australians aged under 30, 34 per cent said they were somewhat or very likely to buy an EV next, compared with 33 per cent who were unlikely to do so.
That made under-30s the only age group surveyed in which positive purchase intention outweighed negative sentiment.
The figure remained relatively strong among 30-55-year-olds, with 32 per cent saying they were likely to buy an EV.
But willingness falls dramatically among older Australians.
Only 18 per cent of people aged over 55 said they were likely to purchase an EV next, while 44 per cent selected the strongest negative response – “very unlikely/never”.
Price also becomes progressively more important as buyers get older.
Only 19 per cent of under-30s nominated purchase price as their number-one consideration, rising to 25 per cent among 30-55-year-olds and 34 per cent among people aged over 55.
Environmental impact ranked second among younger Australians at 11 per cent, significantly closer to price than it was among older respondents.
There were smaller differences between men and women.
Thirty per cent of men said they were likely to buy an EV next compared with 25 per cent of women, while 50 per cent of women said they were unlikely or would never buy one compared with 45 per cent of men.
Women were also more price-sensitive, with 30 per cent ranking purchase price as their biggest consideration compared with 24 per cent of men.
Men were twice as likely to nominate range and battery technology as their number-one issue, at 10 per cent compared with five per cent of women.
“What jumps out here isn’t just that Australians are unsure about EVs, it’s how little room anything else has to compete with price,” said Conjointly market researcher Yutian Shen.
“Environmental benefits, technology, charging convenience, none of it moves the needle the way cost does. If you want to shift EV adoption in this country, the price conversation has to come first.”
EV purchase intent – July 2026
Very unlikely/never: 31%
Somewhat unlikely: 16%
Unsure/haven’t decided: 25%
Somewhat likely: 19%
Very likely: 9%
What matters most when Australians consider an EV
Purchase price: 27%
Environmental impact: 9%
Trust in EV technology: 9%
Running and maintenance costs: 9%
Range and battery technology: 7%
Charging infrastructure: 7%
Performance and driving experience: 6%
Resale value: 5%
Brand and model availability: 5%
Government rebates or incentives: 5%
Practical fit: 4%
Recommendation from family/friends: 4%
Delivery and waiting times: 2%
Source: Conjointly Brand Tracker, July 2026. Survey of 1464 Australian adults.
