Electric vehicles were supposed to be a one-way door into a cleaner future, yet a visible minority of drivers are now turning around and heading back to gasoline. Behind the headlines about record EV sales, there is a quieter story of frustration with charging, costs, and everyday usability that is pushing some early adopters to trade their battery cars for combustion models. I see a market that is not rejecting electrification outright, but renegotiating the terms under which drivers are willing to plug in.
At the same time, the data shows that most EV owners remain deeply committed to staying electric, even as a vocal subset walks away. That tension, between strong overall satisfaction and a growing pocket of regret, is reshaping how automakers, policymakers, and drivers think about the next phase of the transition.
The numbers behind the “back to gas” narrative
The headline claim that more EV drivers are ditching electric and switching back to gas is rooted in a real shift in sentiment, especially in the United States. One widely cited data set indicates that a Major share of American EV owners report buyer’s remorse, with nearly half telling researchers they are likely to choose a gasoline vehicle next time, a finding that has been amplified across platforms like Facebook and Threads as drivers share stories of long queues at fast chargers and unexpected road trip hassles, according to McKinsey data. Academic work points in the same direction: Studies have found that 18–24% of first-time EV buyers return to gasoline-powered vehicles, a sizable minority that signals structural problems rather than isolated anecdotes, as detailed in an EV route optimization analysis.
Yet those figures sit alongside a very different global picture. A Dec report titled Study: Only 1 in 10 EV Buyers Would Go Back found that Globally, 92% of electric vehicle owners have no plans to go back to a gas-powered car, with that “92%” figure underscoring how sticky EV ownership becomes once drivers are satisfied with their experience, according to surveyed owners. Another large research effort concluded that 88% of current EV drivers would not return to internal combustion, noting that, However, the research reinforced evidence that most drivers who have already switched are determined to stay electric, a pattern highlighted in an EY-backed study. The result is a split reality: a majority that is happy and loyal, and a smaller but growing group that is loudly opting out.
Why some early adopters are walking away
When I look at why a driver who once embraced an EV would go back to gasoline, three themes keep surfacing: charging anxiety, cost, and long-distance practicality. A detailed mobility report found that Charging concerns, high cost of ownership and the complexity of long-distance trips are the three leading reasons more EV owners are switching back to combustion engine cars, with the analysis grounded in U.S. registration data that tracks actual trade-ins rather than just opinions, as laid out in an industry mobility report. For drivers who cannot reliably charge at home, the daily calculus becomes even harsher, since every errand or commute is filtered through the question of whether a public charger will be working, available, and priced reasonably.
Cost is the other pressure point that keeps coming up in owner interviews and corporate earnings calls. Jul commentary from Ford CEO Farley acknowledged that EV costs are still too high for consumers and automakers, and he pointed to the difficulty of making smaller and more affordable electric models profitable at scale, a tension that has slowed some product plans, as reported in a global ownership analysis. When a driver compares a discounted gasoline crossover with a more expensive EV that still requires lifestyle adjustments, it is not surprising that some decide the experiment is not worth repeating.
Range, road trips and the reality of public charging
On paper, modern EVs with 250 or 300 miles of range should be more than enough for daily life, yet the lived experience of long-distance travel is where many owners hit their breaking point. The same Studies that documented 18–24% of first-time buyers returning to gasoline also highlighted that route planning and charging availability on long trips are a significant pain point for EV users, especially when chargers are clustered in a few locations or require long detours, as detailed in the passenger satisfaction model. Drivers who are used to pulling into any highway exit and finding multiple gas pumps open at all hours can feel trapped when a single broken fast charger derails an entire day’s travel.
Those frustrations are magnified in regions where the grid itself is under strain. In one widely shared anecdote, a driver complained that “We don’t have electricity or energy to run a charger,” a line that captured the sense of helplessness some owners feel when local infrastructure cannot keep up with their vehicles, as recounted in the McKinsey-based survey. For those drivers, the appeal of a gasoline car is not nostalgia, it is the reassurance that refueling will be simple and predictable, even in a storm or blackout.
Who is most likely to give up on an EV?
The data suggests that the drivers most likely to abandon electric are not the tech-obsessed early adopters, but the more cautious mainstream buyers who followed them. One analysis of owner churn found that the highest rates of switching back to gasoline were among first-time EV buyers who could not charge at home and who relied heavily on public infrastructure, a pattern echoed in a report titled Electric Vehicle Regret: MOST Want Gas Guzzlers, which noted that Among current non-EV owners, the share considering a battery EV or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle has grown, but many remain wary after hearing stories from friends and neighbors who struggled when they could not charge at home, as described in a driver sentiment piece. In other words, the social feedback loop around EVs is now powerful enough to shape the next wave of adoption, for better or worse.
There is also a clear distinction between markets and segments. A large-scale Survey and panel data effort among current EV owners in the United States found consistently high satisfaction and a strong unwillingness to return to gasoline, even as many non-owners held inaccurate beliefs about EV technology, a gap that suggests perception is lagging behind reality, according to a peer-reviewed transportation study. That split helps explain why some surveys can simultaneously show high loyalty among existing owners and rising skepticism among those still on the sidelines.
EV satisfaction is still high, but expectations are rising
Despite the churn, most EV drivers are not just content, they are enthusiastic, which is why I see the current backlash as a sign of rising expectations rather than a wholesale rejection. A Dec analysis titled Study: Only 1 in 10 EV Buyers Would Go Back reported that Globally, 92% of EV owners plan to stick with electric, and that the small minority who would return to gas often cited very specific frustrations such as unreliable local charging or disappointing dealer support, according to the owner survey. That kind of loyalty is rare in the auto world, and it suggests that once the basics are right, drivers quickly normalize the benefits of instant torque, quiet cabins, and low running costs.
Another recent survey of Electric Vehicle owners asked which models were the Most Satisfying to Own, and the results highlighted that drivers tend to be happiest with EVs that combine strong range, intuitive technology and less complicated infotainment systems, according to the What Are 2025’s Most Satisfying EVs to Own research. The message to automakers is clear: satisfaction is not just about the battery pack, it is about the entire ownership experience, from software updates to how easy it is to find and pay for a charge.
Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and the “middle path” away from regret
As some drivers sour on fully electric models, interest is shifting toward hybrids and plug-in hybrids that promise lower emissions without the same dependence on public charging. An AAA-focused survey summarized this pivot bluntly: Early adopters who wanted an EV already have one, said Bannon, adding that the remaining group of people are more cautious and often see hybrids as a safer step that avoids the barriers keeping them from making the jump to fully electric, according to an AAA survey summary. For drivers who fear being stranded at a broken charger, a plug-in hybrid that can run on electricity for short trips but fall back on gasoline for longer journeys can feel like the best of both worlds.
Market data backs up that shift. A Dec report on Declining Appetite for Electrics and Hybrids That also noted that more buyers are ditching EVs and choosing gas again, while at the same time, interest in hybrids and plug-in hybrids is growing as a compromise option, according to an EY-backed consumer study. For automakers, that means rebalancing product plans that once assumed a rapid leap from gasoline straight to full battery electric, and instead preparing for a longer period where multiple powertrains coexist.
Automakers pivot as “EV realism” sets in
From the corporate side, I see a new phase of “EV realism” taking hold, where companies still talk about an electric future but are more cautious about how fast they can get there. A Dec analysis of global automakers concluded that “The long-term direction toward electrification remains clear: The future is electric. However, the timeline is being adjusted,” and it noted that firms like GM, Ford, Hyundai and Tesla are recalibrating investments between EVs and traditional internal combustion engines, according to a recent industry review. That recalibration is not just about factories and model launches, it is also about how aggressively companies market EVs to customers who may be hearing more about regret than about satisfaction.
Financial pressure is sharpening those decisions. Much of the pain continues to be caused due to the challenges anticipating consumer demand for electric vehicles and hybrids, and automakers are being forced to balance their EV ambitions with the need to keep their traditional internal-combustion engine businesses healthy, as outlined in an analysis of stock pressure. When Wall Street punishes companies for misjudging EV demand, executives become more sensitive to signs that some owners are switching back to gas, and they adjust their strategies accordingly.
Access, disability and who gets left behind
One under-discussed factor in EV regret is accessibility, both physical and financial. For disabled motorists, the promise of quiet, low-vibration electric powertrains is compelling, but only if vehicles and charging infrastructure are designed with their needs in mind. A specialist review noted that 2024 continues to be a breakthrough year, with an increased offering of EVs in showrooms, and it expects to see this continue to grow in 2025 and beyond as more models are adapted for disabled drivers, according to an accessibility-focused report. If those adaptations lag, disabled drivers may be disproportionately likely to abandon EVs simply because the vehicles and chargers do not work for them in practice.
Information access matters too. A large Survey and panel data project found that many non-owners hold inaccurate beliefs about EV technology, even as current owners report high satisfaction and a strong unwillingness to return to gasoline, as documented in the peer-reviewed study. When myths about battery fires, rapid degradation or impossible charging times go unchallenged, they can turn a few high-profile stories of regret into a broader narrative that keeps hesitant buyers from ever giving EVs a fair try.
What the backlash really means for the EV future
Stepping back from the noise, I see the current wave of drivers switching back to gas as a stress test of how robust the EV transition really is. On one side, there is clear evidence that a non-trivial share of first-time buyers, roughly 18–24% in some Studies, are dissatisfied enough to return to combustion, especially when they lack home charging or face high public charging costs, as detailed in the route optimization research. On the other side, multiple surveys converge on the finding that 88% to Globally, 92% of current EV owners have no intention of going back, and that driver interest in internal combustion is trending down over time, as highlighted in the EY research and the Dec loyalty study.
Looking ahead, I expect the next phase of the market to be shaped less by raw enthusiasm and more by practical problem solving. A survey-backed analysis from Plug In America noted that the survey also showed that between 2024 and 2025, consumers are becoming more familiar with EVs and more confident about EVs before even purchasing one, suggesting that better information and experience can reduce regret over time, according to The road ahead for electric vehicles. If charging networks improve, costs come down and automakers design cars that are easier to live with, the share of drivers who feel compelled to switch back to gas is likely to shrink, even as the overall number of EVs on the road keeps climbing.
Supporting sources: Study: Only 1 in 10 EV Buyers Would Go Back – Kelley Blue Book.
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