01/10/2025

Attitudes shift toward EVs, vehicle technology and maintenance

Source: aftermarket MATTERS

In its latest Gauge Index survey, Hankook Tire has examined key trends around Americans’ hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) ownership, perceptions of car technology, approach to vehicle maintenance and driving behavior. The following are highlights and statistics from the survey.

Americans Take Charge of Car Maintenance

Over the past decade, Americans have demonstrated a significant increase in their confidence regarding basic car maintenance tasks. This growing confidence, however, coexists with a continued reliance on professionals, reflecting the evolving landscape of vehicle care.

Hankook found 65% of drivers today feel confident changing a tire, up from 52% in 2015, and 49% are comfortable changing brake fluid, compared to 35% in 2015. Other tasks have seen similar confidence boosts, such as:

• Locating/replacing the air filter: 61% in 2024 versus 53% in 2015

• Replacing a car battery: 64% in 2024 versus 51% in 2015

• Changing oil: 58% in 2024 versus 45% in 2015

• Changing a spark plug: 50% in 2024 versus 39% in 2015

Despite drivers’ growing confidence, 45% of Americans in the latest Hankook Gauge Index survey said they rely more on professionals to handle basic maintenance due to the increase of technology in cars today.

Additionally, there were significant jumps in other areas: willingness to invest in cosmetic upgrades rose to 18% (up from 4% in 2022), air conditioning or heating climbed to 39% (previously 10%), and investment in stereo equipment increased to 24% (up from 5%).

In 2024, Americans showed a greater willingness to invest in vehicle maintenance, with 54% prioritizing spending on tires (up from 39% in 2022) and 51% on under-the-hood parts (up from 33% in 2022).

Electric Vehicles Gain Traction

In recent years, Americans’ attitudes toward hybrid and EVs have shifted amid increased consumer interest and changing priorities. Hankook found a moderate rise in EV adoption and evolving factors influencing consumer choices.

• Hankook reports that 20% of consumers plan to buy or lease an EV within the next year, a significant increase from only 8% who said the same in 2022.
• Millennials are leading the charge toward hybrid and EV ownership, with 36% considering a purchase in the future, followed closely by Gen X at 35% and Gen Z at 32%.
• While gas savings remained the most appealing benefit of hybrid and EVs over the years, the amount of consumers who cite this consideration has declined — from a high of 58% in 2022 to 36% in 2024. This suggests that although fuel cost savings still motivate consumers, its weight in decision-making may be leveling out as other factors, such as environmental impact (18%) and technology (10%) are also appealing.
• As electric vehicles have evolved, questions about their performance remain, especially in adverse weather conditions: only slightly more than one-third (35%) of respondents this year said that EVs perform better than gas-engine vehicles. A significant 45% felt that EVs handled neither better nor worse than gas-powered vehicles.

Americans’ Driving Behavior Shifts Gears

The last decade brought significant changes to the American driving experience, largely due to the integration of advanced car technologies such as lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors. These innovations have not only influenced how drivers interact with their vehicles but also shape their attitudes and behaviors on the road. While many drivers report feeling safer due to these technologies, the impact on driving habits varies.

• While three in 10 respondents believe that car technology helps them feel safer, they also say it doesn’t necessarily alter their driving habits, raising questions about how these technologies are actually being utilized. For some, the added safety features may provide reassurance without prompting noticeable changes in behavior on the road. In fact, one in 10 drivers finds these technologies distracting.
• However, 21% of respondents noted that car technology makes them more cautious overall, with women (26%) slightly more likely than men (17%) to report that car technology helps them be more cautious drivers.
• In 2024, the way Americans perceive their driving personalities has shifted compared to a decade earlier: this year, 57% of drivers see themselves as “thoughtful, responsible, and obedient,” down from 65% in 2014.
  • Meanwhile, those who admitted to occasionally losing their temper rose slightly, reaching 26% compared to 23% in 2014.
  • More than half (53%) of drivers in 2024 cited other drivers’ behaviors as the main trigger for road rage, followed by heavy traffic at 33%.
  • About one-quarter (22%) claim they remain generally tolerant regardless of the situation.
  • When examining generational differences in consumer attitudes towards dealing with poor road conditions in 2024, Gen Z (26%) drivers are most likely to get angry behind the wheel and drive more aggressively, followed by Millennials (22%), Gen X (20%), and Boomers (13%).