EV range anxiety is all in the mind: report

A new report has found one of the biggest obstacles to electric vehicle ownership is also one of the most widely misunderstood, with almost 80 percent of people vastly underestimating EV driving range.

In a finding that throws the idea of range anxiety into question, a new report from the Electric Vehicle Council found 79 percent of survey respondents think electric cars can drive less than 400km on a single charge.

The Electric Vehicle Council survey questioned 2902 people in NSW, ACT, Victoria and South Australia.

The Nissan Leaf, Mini Electric and Hyundai Ioniq are among the few full-electric vehicles currently on sale in Australia with a sub-400km driving range, with products from Hyundai, Tesla, Mercedes, Jaguar and more all exceeding it. The Tesla Model S Long Range promises one of the longest WLTP driving ranges, at 610km.

And incoming EVs promise even more driving between charges. The Lucid Air, for example, will travel 832km between charges, according to its maker.

American brand Rivian is promising up to 650km for its electric pickup truck, the R1T, which recently took part in a 21,000km trip around America as a support vehicle for a TV series.

“The range of passenger vehicles currently available in the Australian market averages around 400km per charge,” the report reads.

“That means that almost 80 percent of people underestimate the range of electric vehicles currently available. This is a clear example of how a lack of consumer awareness can exacerbate barriers and suppress enthusiasm for electric vehicles.”

Range anxiety is seen as one of the biggest concerns preventing people considering a BEV. The same survey found found 45 percent of people say it is a factor discouraging them from buying an electric vehicle.