As gas prices rose this month, increasing the agony at the pump, customers reacted by looking for — and maybe fantasizing about — more fuel-efficient car choices. According to Google Trends, web search interest in electric vehicles and cars reached an all-time high in the United States in March.
While rising gas costs are undoubtedly a factor, the renewed interest is the result of a mix of factors including an increased awareness of other electric vehicles on the road.
Marketing, in addition to rising gas costs and growing worries about climate change, is also likely to have played a significant role in the current surge in interest. During the last few Super Bowls, for example, prominent manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, and General Motors released a slew of slick electric vehicle commercials.
GM in particular did not spare any expense in their spots for the Hummer and the Cadillac Lyriq, buts featuring A-List superstars like LeBron James and Will Ferrel.
It’s also not only EVs; customers are searching for more fuel-efficient vehicles in general, such as hybrids and small cars, which had a surge in sales earlier this year, according to Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive.
The issue is that EV supply is now severely limited, as many customers searching for electric vehicles on Google are likely discovering. Electric cars, like combustion cars, require batteries; but, due to supply chain concerns, the elements crucial to creating such batteries, such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, are in limited supply.
As more people search for “electric vehicles” on Google, they will also learn about the benefits of owning an electric bike which is another way to go electric while avoiding those annoying supply-chain issues.
There are many electric bikes to choose from depending on what your transportation needs are. However, anything within a 10-20 mile radius can be adequately covered by an electric bike. My favorite e-bike is the Brekr Model B and you can check out my full review below.
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