Five Ways to Bridge the EV Gender Gap

Recent research reveals an intriguing trend: While electric vehicle sales are rising, sales to men still dominate the market.

The McKinsey Center for Future Mobility conducts an annual survey of 30,000 mobility customers in nine countries. This year, consumers were asked about their power train preference for their next vehicle purchases. The survey results revealed a significant gender disparity, with more men than women expressing an intent to buy an EV.

Center consultant Annie Sophie Smith notes that there were also sizeable differences across surveyed countries. In the U.S., men are 40% more likely to consider an EV for their next purchase, while in Germany, that number drops to 30%. In China and Brazil, it’s almost equal between men and women.

Edmunds also uncovered an EV gender gap in its annual EV sentiment survey. This year’s purchase statistics showed 67% of all EV buyers are men and 33% are women.

Edmunds research dug into the why behind the numbers, finding that women see EVs as expensive, have reservations about battery longevity, and feel uneasy about range and charging availability.

Katie Mares, author of "CustomHER Experience," has researched women's vehicle purchasing habits and experiences and said she believes safety is the No. 1 reason women are hesitant to adopt EVs.

“Men will take a risk,” she says. “If the battery runs out and they're by themselves at a charging station, it's no big deal. But if a woman is all by herself in the middle of nowhere and her battery dies, or she has to wait at a charging station, it's a risk many women just won't take.”

Mares' research shows that women prefer to purchase EVs as secondary cars for neighborhood travel. “They are also more open to hybrid vehicles because there’s also the option of using gas,” she says.

Gary Rome, owner of Gary Rome Auto Hyundai in Holyoke, Mass., says he hasn’t seen an EV enthusiasm gender gap. However, the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year has taken a unique approach to selling EVs. To ease clients' doubts about owning them, the dealership joined the Hyundai Evolve+ initiative. Buyers can sign up for a monthly subscription to use an EV, which covers insurance, maintenance and roadside assistance for a single fee.

“This helps customers see if an EV will fit their lifestyles,” he says. “If they end up purchasing an EV after renting one through Evolve+, Hyundai offers a $2,500 rebate to help them pay for it.”

Michael Davenport, a seller with Gary Rome Hyundai, maintains that dealerships must educate and incentivize car buyers to switch to EVs. He says he's seen an equal number of men and women buying EVs but has noticed that women ask different questions about the vehicles during the sales process.

“Women care more about range, and men care more about performance,” he says, suggesting that the key to getting women to drive EVs is to acknowledge their concerns and address them through education.

Safety’s the Thing

Mares agrees. Educating women about safety should be a top priority for EV dealerships.

She suggests developing a roadside assistance program and offering mobile charging stations to address safety concerns.

“If they get stuck within a certain distance away, you can send out a truck,” she says. “This takes away the obstacle of her worrying about being stranded, waiting for help. The average wait time right now for roadside assistance is two and a half hours.” 

Address Charging Concerns

McKinsey's research showed women are concerned about charging EVs at home. “Most women think they do not have the right parking infrastructure at home to charge an EV,” consultant Smith says.

The study showed a higher percentage of men, 50%, said they believe their parking structure is suitable for a charger, compared to 36% of women. “It’s difficult to explain why this is,” Smith says. “Perhaps more women than men live in apartments, or maybe it’s a gap in perception. My suspicion is it’s a little of both.”

Davenport of Gary Rome Hyundai says charging is a shared concern of men and women and one that dealerships can alleviate. Many programs exist to help people install charging infrastructure at their homes. “We help them reach out to their electric company or local municipality and provide them with documentation about these programs,” he says.

Eversource customers in Connecticut can get up to $1,500 for a Level II charger at home, Davenport says. Other utilities discount a customer’s monthly bill if they agree to charge the EV at off-peak times. “The rebates can really add up,” he says. 

To ease concerns about charging costs, the Hyundai store also offers a bonus incentive: Customers who purchase a new EV receive two years of complimentary charging from Electrify America, a large U.S. fast-charging network.

“Many people are concerned about the range of EVs and that they’ll run out of power,” Rome says. “Once they realize our EVs can go over 300 miles on a charge and they can charge them at home or work, the worries fade away.”

Tackle Technology Concerns

McKinsey also asked consumers about their familiarity with EVs. “We found there is a larger gender gap there,” Smith says. “There might be some uncertainty with the technology or less confidence in the technology in general.”

She and looked into how women and men purchase cars and what they're after. Women, she found, focus on price, total cost of ownership, size, functionality and vehicle safety. “But men look first at the brand name, then design, and third, technology,” she says.

Despite that being the case, Davenport says it’s rare to pivot any customer set on a gasoline-powered vehicle to an EV. He believes most EV purchasers come into the dealership with the decision already made.

“If customers are interested but unsure, I recommend trying a plug-in hybrid first before going for an EV,” he says. “This helps them overcome any hesitancy about the technology. The Evolve+ program also helps. Four out of five people who rent these vehicles end up owning them.”

Once in a while, he says, he steers customers away from an EV purchase. “I had a woman who lived in an apartment and lacked home access to a charger. She purchased a hybrid.”

Women's technology concerns are now less of a worry than in the past, Mares says. According to her research, by the time women visit a dealership, they've already checked out the technology and know what they want.

“When they walk through that door, they’ve already made their decision on which vehicle brand and model,” she says.

Post-Sale Service

There must also be education after an EV purchase, Rome adds.

Gary Rome Hyundai employs Electric Champions to accompany customers on EV test-drives. When a purchase is made, the specialists spend two hours guiding customers through the operation of their new EVs.

“Eventually, I’d like to have our technology geniuses come to your home after you’ve owned an EV for a few weeks and go over everything again,” Rome says. “Education is key. You do not want someone to purchase an EV and not know how to use it.”

Craft an Experience

Female buyers are different, and the sales process should address those differences, whether the woman seeks an EV or an internal-combustion-engine vehicle, according to Mares.

“My research shows that 85% of all new-vehicle purchases made in a couple relationship are influenced by women, and women make 60% of all service decisions.”

Vehicle purchases are typically transactional, but women desire a sensory and relational buying experience, she adds.

She explains that women want the dealership to look nice with good lighting, a clean restroom, and a comfortable temperature. They also prefer an aesthetically pleasing environment that smells nice and has stain-free chairs, up-to-date magazines, and a place to keep their kids occupied.

An authentic and friendly communication style on the part of the salesperson is also expected. “Women need that connection and will leave if they do not have it,” Mares explains. “But a man couldn't care less.”

She adds that the dealership that builds a sales experience designed for women will experience success.

“If you build the buying experience for men, you will lose women. But if you build an experience that appeals to women, you will keep both buyers. Men do not care, but women do.”

Ronnie Wendt is an editor at Auto Dealer Today.