How do electric vehicle owners shop?

Charging stations draw shoppers who own EVs.

A new survey reveals that electric vehicle owners have some distinct preferences when it comes to where and why they shop.

According to “Charging Ahead in the Era of Electric Vehicles,” a study combining survey insights and purchase data from verified EV owners from Numerator, six in 10 (61%) surveyed EV owners say they are more likely to shop somewhere with charging stations, while 27% say charging station availability does not typically influence their shopping location decisions.

Surveyed EV owners are nearly twice as likely to shop as other consumers at Ikea (1.8x) or Whole Foods (1.7x), both of which are leaders in providing EV charging stations. Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Albertsons are also popular among surveyed EV owners, which Numerator says is likely due to preferences for natural/organic and retailer regionality.

Surveyed urban and rural EV owners spend 3% and 13% more at gas and convenience stores than their non-electric counterparts, with urban shoppers generally more reliant on small-format convenience stores. 

Overall, surveyed EV owners spend 6% less in the gas and convenience channel compared to the average consumer, but Numerator analysis indicates the dip is entirely driven by suburban EV owners, who spend 18% less than other suburban drivers.