TULSA — The future of transportation is here, with electric cars.
Officials say the current problem is that very few people are buying into the idea of going electric.
On a scale of one to 100, people fall in the middle when it comes to confidences in electric, according to new findings by J.P. Power.
Officials say people don't see them as reliable as gas-powered vehicles.
Those feelings are also echoed in a recent AAA survey.
An overwhelming majority of people that do own an electric car, now say they had at least one major concern before they made the purchase, but AAA says those fears are mostly misconceptions.
"I think a lot of the consumer concerns out there are range anxiety, being able to find a charge, but there are some other things out there like people like to hear the hum of the engine, " said Mark Jenkins.
In terms of finding charging stations, more employers are starting to offer them.
There are map programs from AAA and PlugShare for drivers.
Officials say the first US gas station that fully converted to electric opened last year, but most people do it at home.
Officials say the more people know about how electric works, the more comfortable they are.
"Visit the dealership. Ask as many questions as you can find out as much information about these vehicles and then take them for a test drive," said Jenkins.
AAA found once consumers got into an electric vehicle, those fears eased over time.
In fact, 96 percent say they would buy electric again.
Three-quarters of households that had both an electric and gas-powered car say they ended up driving the electric a lot more, which probably boils down to the cost of driving.
Officials say AAA found on average electric owners save about $700 a year in fuel and about $300 a year on maintenance.
We found more than 70 electric charging stations across Green Country.
Click here to find an electric charging stations near you.
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