EVs face 4 major roadblocks in America, but the path forward is clearing

America’s EV revolution has picked up speed, but we’re not quite at the finish line yet. The U.S. still falls behind many other countries, including China and the entire European Union, in electric vehicle adoption. And a recent AAA report found that roughly 63% of U.S. adults are unlikely to purchase a fully electric vehicle as their next car—but the reasons behind their hesitation reveal a story of changes already underway. 

Many of these concerns stem from outdated myths (and Big Oil propaganda) about EVs, but some reflect real challenges that innovators, policymakers, and the industry are actively solving. The good news? Experts believe we’re at a critical tipping point, which means the path to widespread adoption could soon accelerate dramatically.

Here are the four biggest roadblocks to making EVs practical for everyone—and how America is working to overcome them.

Lack of convenient public charging stations and fear of running out of charge—aka "range anxiety"—are two of the top arguments against buying an EV. But this fear isn’t rooted in reality.

Here's some perspective: In 2023, only 4% of EV service calls to AAA were for fear of running out of charge—and most cars still had juice.

The real problem? Lack of convenient public charging. Nearly 40,000 public chargers were added in 2024, but EV advocate Tom Moloughney, host of the YouTube Show State of Charge, admits that "there's not enough."

"It’s also very regional—the coasts seem to have more charging infrastructure installed than the Midwest. There are regions of the country that are terribly underserved," said Moloughney.

Even in well-served areas, chargers may not be reliable. For example, Jonny Lieberman from the YouTube show Driving with Jonny says his local charging station in Southern California has "three cars charging 24 hours a day, with a line of three to 10 cars waiting." Even where chargers are plentiful, Lieberman admits that many of the stations are plagued by outdated technology—there are different levels of EV chargers, and they’re not created equal.

But despite these charging challenges, improvements are happening. A 2025 report showed that only 14% of all EV owners reported an unsuccessful charging visit—down from the 20% rate that had been hovering since 2021. America is on track to add nearly 17,000 public fast-charging ports this year, with a goal of providing access to 100,000 public fast chargers by 2027.

Plus, some EV drivers are finding workarounds, like charging their EV at an RV park.

Just over a third of Americans are renters and likely don't have access to home charging. According to the AAA report, 27% of Americans said they didn’t want to purchase an EV due to the challenges of installing a home charger.

"If there was a policy for renters that said they had to have the ability to get a charger where they park their car, I think that would overnight change the game,” said Liebermann.

While you don't need a home charger to drive an electric car (you can also plug it into a wall outlet), it really increases convenience and affordability. It's “three times cheaper to charge at home than it would be to charge on a fast charger,” according to Liebermann.

His solution? "There should be a movement like you can't rent an apartment without heat. You shouldn't be able to rent one without the ability to install a charger."

Some innovative charging solutions are already emerging, like EVMatch. It’s sort of like an Airbnb for EV chargers, providing drivers with access to chargers from homes and businesses they usually wouldn't have access to.

While other countries have been rolling out the red carpet for EVs, American policy has been inconsistent. The biggest recent change is the elimination of the federal EV tax credit.

"There's no way around it—vehicles are going to become more expensive on October 1st here in the U.S., and it's going to slow down electric vehicle sales," said Moloughney.

Other countries beating America in the EV race—like Norway, Sweden, and China—offer various EV driver benefits, including tax breaks, free charging, and parking discounts.

But despite these rollbacks, not all EV incentives have been lost. Tom Bowen from Qmerit, the leader in EV charger installations, said some corporations are also making up for the loss of the federal tax credit. "We're seeing many of our partners on the [Original Equipment Manufacturer] side respond with additional incentives to try to encourage folks to purchase. We also see that at the state level, some utilities are still offering incentives," he said.

If you compare brand-new, recent model cars, the sticker price isn't that much higher on an EV. But if you're looking for a quality budget vehicle, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an electric option.

"At the entry-level market, you can still get internal combustion engines cheaper than EVs," says Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, founder and host of Transport Evolved. She said the lack of EVs at that entry-level point matters greatly to many Americans.

But here's something that might surprise you: Budget EVs exist.

The Chinese manufacturer BYD makes a $10,000 EV called the Seagull—but high tariffs and security concerns prevent it from being sold in the U.S.

The good news? GM and Ford made billion-dollar investments in plants for more affordable EVs starting closer to $30,000. Tesla has promised a $25,000 Model 2, though its future remains unclear. While these aren't $10,000 BYD prices, they're trending in the right direction. 

"I think consumer demand will drive [prices down],” said Bowen. “The consumer tends to win out if it's a better experience."

And in the meantime, you can often find used EVs with low mileage and minimal wear and tear for about half the price of a new one.

Each expert remains optimistic about America's EV future. While EVs only currently account for around 9% of America’s new car sales in 2025, that number may be more positive than it sounds. "I heard 8% was a tipping point, and once you get to 8%, it eventually gets to 100%," said Lieberman.

Moloughney said he believes EVs would've hit 50% of new car sales around 2032 if the tax credit hadn’t been eliminated. Without it, he expects that timeline to be pushed to 2035. Lieberman estimates 2040.

One thing we can all do right now to help meet that goal is to fight EV misinformation with facts.

"We need to be willing and able to tackle FUD [fear, uncertainty, doubt] with compassion, empathy, science, and facts," says Gordon-Bloomfield.

So when you hear someone say, "Don't they catch fire all the time?" or "Those batteries need to be replaced, and they're not good for the environment," share the truth with them.

America's path to 50% EV adoption isn't about waiting for better EV technology. It's about consumer education, improved convenience, better incentives, and more affordable vehicles. The harder we fight for these things, the faster Americans will move away from the gas pumps.