High gas prices are prompting many car shoppers to reconsider electric cars, and it turns out EV drivers may not have as much brand loyalty as their counterparts who opt for traditional gas guzzlers.
People who already own EVs are significantly more open to switching brands for their next vehicle than most traditional car buyers, according to the 2026 EVForward Brand Deep Dive from Escalent, which is a Michigan-based AI-assisted market research firm.
The group said in households where there are both traditional-car and EV drivers, 93% bought their plug-in model from a different brand than their gas vehicle.
According to a separate study from McKinsey & Company, which is one of the largest consulting firms, one of the biggest factors that drives EV consideration is direct exposure to the models that are on the market, which are often made by newer entrants to the U.S. auto market like Tesla, Rivian and Lucid, or foreign-owned automakers like Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and Honda.
“Consumers who have direct experience with EVs in their household are more likely to choose an EV for their next vehicle than those from households where ownership is limited to internal combustion engine (ICE) cars,” the McKinsey study said. “Across regions, mixed households that already own both an ICE vehicle and an EV are three to four times more likely to transition to BEVs than households that own only ICE vehicles.”
With that in mind, the USA TODAY Cars team took a look at what’s driving shoppers to consider EVs more and why they’re less brand loyal than their traditional car-buying counterparts.
Why Are Some Shoppers Considering EVs More Now?
Consistently high gas prices this year have driven shoppers to consider hybrid and electric cars a lot more.
The average price of gas on Monday, Oct. 12, was $4.35, according to AAA. That’s up from an average of $4.31 on Sept. 12, and an average of $3.08 on Oct. 12, 2025.
EVs represented 7.9% of U.S. auto sales in the spring of 2026, up 1.6% in the first three months of the year, according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which lobbies in Washington, DC, for nearly all major carmakers, including General Motors, Toyota and Volkswagen. EV sales accounted for 7.1% of U.S. auto sales for the first six months of 2026 combined, the group said.
The EV uptick came as gas prices rose steadily through the spring as the United States and Israel engaged in a war with Iran. The national average price of gas jumped from $2.98 on Feb. 28, the day U.S. forces first launched military strikes against Iran, to the present $4.35.
Here are a few reasons EV supporters say now is a good time to consider going electric:
- Gas savings: A driver who opts for a new or used EV could save $2,200 annually on gas, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Even hybrid drivers can save $1,500 on gas annually, according to the agency. The Energy Department said, “the largest savings were found in areas with high gasoline prices, low electricity prices, and where drivers drove longer distances, and used older, less fuel-efficient vehicles.”
- Reduced maintenance costs: Owners of electric models saved an average of about $8,811 on ownership and maintenance compared to the best-selling traditional cars when driven for about 200,000 miles, according to Consumer Reports. The group said that used EV drivers can save even more, even with slightly higher depreciation rates than gas-powered vehicles.
- Less depreciation: EVs have historically depreciated faster than gas-powered cars, but the gap is narrowing as the used EV market expands. EVs typically lose around 58% to 60% of their value over five years, compared to a typical depreciation rate in the low-40% to high-40% for gas cars over five years, according to Consumer Reports.
Why Are EV Shoppers Less Loyal to Brands Than Other Car Buyers?
Car companies have tried for decades to build enough brand loyalty that shoppers will stick with them when it’s time to buy new models. They sometimes have to offer so-called “conquest deals” to lure customers away from their preferred brands.
But EV shoppers appear to be different in many cases. They often tend to be more affluent, and according to a recent study released in July by McKinsey they are more likely to be concerned with things like range and charging speed than brand loyalty.
The study found over half of premium owners say they’d switch brands when buying an EV.
Among the reasons is not all manufacturers are even making fully electric cars. So if you want an electric car and the brand you’re driving doesn’t offer one, you’ll have to consider other manufacturers.
According to Escalent’s 2026 EVForward Brand Deep Dive, Toyota, Hyundai, Subaru and Honda lead in loyalty among current car owners. That could translate into EV because those manufacturers all offer gas, hybrid and electric cars.
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