American Interest in EVs and Renewable Energy Dips, According to New Research

Anton Petrus/Getty Images

A majority of Americans support the US becoming carbon neutral by 2050, but only a quarter of them find that it's extremely or very important to limit their own carbon footprint. That's according to a new survey by Pew Research that asked 8,638 adults in the US for their opinions on national, local and personal energy choices.

Pew's survey notes that 63% of Americans want the US to be carbon neutral in the next 26 years, but declining support for solar and wind power farms (down 12 and 11 percentage points since 2020, respectively) are "driven by sharp drops in support among Republicans."

Led by solar power, energy generation in the US is actually expected to grow by 3% in 2024 and exceed the contribution from hydroelectricity for the first time, according to a report from the Energy Information Administration.

Fewer people in the US are interested in purchasing electric vehicles than they were in 2023 too. Just 29% of Americans said they'd consider purchasing an EV, which is down 8% in a year. Those EV findings are consistent with McKinsey's Mobility Consumer Pulse for 2024, which found that 46% of electric vehicle owners in the US and 29% in the world plan to switch back to a gas car with their next purchase.

However, according to McKinsey, more Americans support clean energy than don't: "Americans' support of clean energy has slipped a bit in recent years, but most Americans still support more renewable energy and efforts to get the country to carbon neutral by 2050."

Having an energy-efficient home has personal as well as societal benefits, such as saving money on utility and energy bills. And using solar power can even help to demystify electricity itself. Check out CNET's expert recommendations on the best solar panels of 2024, and everything you need to know about buying solar panels.