Americans Are No Longer Plugged in to EVs

July 2, 2024

Polls show Americans are losing interest in electric vehicles despite aggressive pushes by the Biden administration to electrify transportation.

 

A Pew Research Center study released last week reported only 29% of Americans are interested in buying an electric vehicle- a 9% drop from 38% in 2023. Cost, electricity range in regard to chargers, and charging time are the driver’s top three concerns when considering an EV reports Politico’s Energywire.

 

Driving the electric vehicle agenda is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) multipollutant rule, requiring 69% of light duty vehicles be electric or hybrid electric by 2032. However, Pew’s research reported 58% of those polled opposed rules pressuring Americans to buy EVs in the allotted time.

 

“The research reaffirms the point we have been making,” IL Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Dave Rylander said. “The United States does not have the consumer interest, infrastructure, or economic reality to support a surge in electric vehicle sales. The EPA’s plan has many loopholes. However, ethanol and biofuels are a solution we can use immediately to decarbonize our transportation sector and lower emissions.”

 

Across the United States, ethanol is added to at least 10% of most baseline fuel. A renewable resource, ethanol lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to gasoline. Products such as E15 and E85 offer Americans significant cost cuts. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) reports during the 2022 driving season, drivers saved at least 25 cents per gallon on E15.

 

Additionally, access to charging stations and grid power is a concern of many rural Americans. The University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reported two-thirds of Americans do not know the closest public charging station. In May, Pew reported only 17% of rural Americans live less than a mile from a charging station opposed to 60% in urban areas. As of February, urban areas account for almost 90% of charging ports in the United States.

 

“Let’s meet Americans where they are and bring biofuels into the GHG reduction conversation,” Rylander said. “We have a problem and a realistic solution to fix it.”

< Older Post

 Newer Post >
Sarah Hastings, Melinda Fourez, Sen. Chapin Rose, Mark Degler, Steve Fourez, and Dale Haudrich

Farmers Push for Change at the State Capitol

By Lyndi Allen • April 16, 2026
Illinois farmers came to the state capitol this week to draw attention to the poor farm economy as the planting season begins. Farmers met with their representatives and key legislators
thumbnail of Phillips

How a County Fair Queen Represents Agriculture Across Illinois

By Tara Desmond • April 16, 2026
Illinois Fair Queen Krista Phillips shares how her role goes beyond the crown connecting communities and advocating for agriculture statewide.
Ashley, Lindsay and Laura in DC

Rooted in Illinois Ag: Meet Lindsay Croke from IL Corn TV

By Lindsay Croke • April 16, 2026
Lindsay Croke is the IL Corn Director of Communications and Marketing today, but she’s served many roles over her 20+ years at IL Corn and brings a lot of historical perspective of IL Corn’s work and goals to IL Corn TV show as a host. We sat down with Lindsay to figure out how she landed at IL Corn, what the work here has meant to her and to our industry, and why she sticks around.
Steve Koeller, Justin Moore, Shane Gray, Rep. Katie Stuart, Chad Dillenberger, and Dale Haudrich

NCERC: Driving the Future of Ethanol

By Lyndi Allen • April 8, 2026
Representative Katie Stuart and Illinois farmers visited NCERC for a tour, to learn about its expansion plans, and interview Illinois farmers
thumbnail from farmdoc webinar

Farmer Production Decision-Making

By Tara Desmond • April 8, 2026
Researchers reveal most farmers operate from a single, highly consistent production plan and change it far less often than conservation advisors typically assume.
thumbnail of different videos

The Stories & Videos Illinois Farmers Loved This Winter and Spring

By Tara Desmond • April 8, 2026
Catch up on IL Corn’s top stories and videos from Q1 2026, featuring farmers, yields, policy updates, and must-see moments from the field.
Show More