Stuck in the ICE Age?

Recent headlines suggest the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) revolution needs a recharge as demand growth moderates amid continued barriers to adoption.

AlixPartners’ 2024 International Electric Vehicle Consumer-Sentiment Survey – the third of its kind – paints a far more nuanced picture.

Today, the global BEV market is dividing into two camps. Chinese buyers are increasingly embracing full electrification, as China-based brands bring stylish, tech-savvy, and cost-competitive BEVs to market. BEV-intender growth in the U.S. and Europe, regions that long served as bellwethers for consumer tastes, is lagging as potential buyers remain concerned about charging infrastructure – and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are being seen as a legitimate stand-in for pure BEVs. 

We surveyed 10,000 consumers from nine countries (China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), and their responses overall indicate that BEV momentum is far from out of juice. We expect continued growth in China and slow growth (but growth) in the U.S. and Europe through 2035. For now, BEV-intenders there and in Japan are showing considerable interest in PHEVs, which address the biggest concerns that survey respondents had. Meanwhile, in India and even in Saudi Arabia large percentages of consumers expressed interest in BEVs and other electric vehicles.

In an industry where change is constant, automotive companies need to respond to what the consumer is telling them and invest accordingly. Thriving on the road ahead requires agility, resilience, and an awareness of an evolving industry where Chinese BEV brands are becoming a bigger force internationally.