EV misinformation keeps shaping Australia's car market debate, and new research shows why
University of Technology Sydney research into 122 Australian consumers shows anti-EV stories gain credibility through a kernel of truth, while a self-selected global survey of more than 26,000 EV drivers suggests misinformation is now the biggest perceived obstacle to adoption.
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Australian study maps how EV myths take hold
A study led by researchers from the University of Technology Sydney, published in the journal Research Energy and Social Science, examined the social and cultural processes through which electric vehicle misinformation is shared, interpreted and validated in Australia. The research, based on in-depth interviews with 122 Australian consumers, found claims that electric cars are dangerous, bad for the environment and impossible to use in the outback circulating among Australians sceptical of the switch. 2
UTS Business School Professor of Behaviour and Social Change Ross Gordon, a study co-author, said many myths develop around a kernel of truth: a genuine issue, limitation or concern taken out of context, oversimplified, exaggerated or combined with unsupported claims. He said that can make the resulting misinformation more credible and persuasive than an obviously false claim. Gordon also distinguished misinformation from disinformation, saying in the UTS report that some false content originates as disinformation, deliberately created and spread to deceive or disrupt, and becomes misinformation when people share it without intending to deceive others. 2
The breadth of concerns mapped by the study went beyond battery fires. According to the UTS report, other participants expressed concern that EV manufacturing processes were 'raping and pillaging the earth', that EV drivers were 'people that can't drive or are often in accidents', and that the lack of engine noise was 'going to lead to a lot of people getting run over'. The researchers introduced the concept of EV misinformation communities, describing how misinformation can acquire community-like qualities through shared narratives, trusted networks and reassurance, without necessarily being fixed or formally organised groups. Claims encountered on social media became common currency in face-to-face discussions about EV safety, including one participant expressing concern about a car bursting into flames in the front yard. 2
Gordon said misinformation is a prominent part of the EV debate in Australia, with people encountering the same anti-EV stories repeatedly, sometimes originating as jokes or memes taken seriously. The study concluded that addressing EV misinformation requires more than fact-checking, with policymakers and industry needing to address underlying concerns about cost, control, trust, fairness and lifestyle, work through trusted messengers, and give Australians opportunities for positive real-world EV experiences. 2
Global driver survey names myths as the biggest obstacle
In a Business Wire press release, the Global EV Alliance, a non-profit network of 70 national EV associations from 42 countries, reported results from a survey of more than 26,000 EV drivers across 30 countries. The alliance said 77% of respondents named persistent myths about electric cars as the single biggest obstacle to EV adoption in their nations, and 83% believed policy measures are needed to increase EV sales. The full survey data, including country-level results, has been published at survey.globalevalliance.com. 4
GEVA chair Joel Levin, who is also director of Plug In America, said in the release that misinformation about EVs is a serious challenge that can make policymakers less confident that electric vehicles are a viable solution to climate change and local air pollution. The survey found 88% of EV drivers were not worried about their EV being a fire hazard, and Levin argued myths clearly do not affect existing EV drivers because they know from experience the myths are false. 4
The same survey results also pointed to economics as a factor: 45% of respondents said lower energy costs were one of the reasons they chose an EV, while 58% considered purchase price a barrier to adoption in their country. Ellen Hiep of the Dutch EV drivers' association said in the release: 'This is a clear message to policymakers who want to boost EV adoption: they need to implement consumer-focused policies aimed at making EVs the most affordable option.' The release noted the survey was conducted in September and October, with responses weighted by each country's share of the total EV fleet. 4
The release also disclosed the survey's methodology: it targeted EV drivers worldwide through an open online form, with national EV associations as the primary distributors, and results were weighted by each country's share of the total EV fleet. Because participation was self-selected among existing EV drivers, the findings reflect the views of people with direct EV experience rather than a random sample of all motorists, which is worth bearing in mind when comparing the 77% figure with the attitudes of sceptical consumers described in the UTS study. 4
Fact-checking the recurring claims
BGR, in a feature on EV myths that refuse to die, addressed the fire-risk claim using data from EV FireSafe, which put the chance of an EV battery catching fire at 0.0012% compared with 0.1% for an internal combustion vehicle. BGR reported that EV batteries are equipped with battery management systems monitoring temperature, voltage and state of charge, working with thermal management systems to prevent overheating that could lead to thermal runaway. 3
On emissions, BGR cited a study by the International Council on Clean Transportation finding that over its lifetime, the greenhouse gas emissions of an electric SUV with a 300-mile range are 71% lower than those of an equivalent combustion SUV, even though building a new EV can carry emissions around 80% higher. It also cited a FAMU-FSU College of Engineering cradle-to-grave analysis comparing a Ford E-Transit van and a Ford Transit van, which found 363.2 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilometre against 469.1 gCO2-eq/km, 23% lower for the electric van. 3
BGR also addressed cost and charging. Citing the International Energy Agency, it reported that total cost of ownership for EVs is lower than combustion vehicles even where upfront prices are higher, with charging and maintenance costs contributing. On charging times, it cited the US Department of Transportation: Level 1 equipment can take 40 to 50 hours to charge from 0% to 80%, Level 2 four to 10 hours, and Level 3 fast charging between 20 minutes and an hour. It noted a 2024 Consumer Reports survey found 88% of EV owners have Level 2 chargers at home. 3
On battery longevity, BGR cited Car and Driver reporting that all manufacturers provide at least an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty on EV battery packs, and noted average EV lifespan of about 18.4 years compared with 18.7 years for combustion vehicles, with end-of-life batteries recyclable for lithium, nickel, copper and cobalt. 3
The political dimension of the debate
Writing in The Skeptic, journalist Tim Jokl argued that misinformation about electric vehicles has circulated for over a decade and is still pushed predominantly by right-wing news channels, political figures and commentators, particularly in the United States. He reported figures from the Washington Post showing US EV sales quadrupling since 2019 with 1.5 million sold in 2025, and cited the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit's finding that misinformation output around EVs is markedly higher from right-wing news sources, with ECIU's Colin Walker noting newspapers had suggested demand was falling while sales were up. 1
Jokl also catalogued specific recurring myths in that reporting, stating that EVs are only around 20% heavier than an equivalent petrol or diesel car rather than three times heavier, that EVs typically lose about ten miles of range in winter and gain ten in summer, and that petrol and diesel cars are 20 times more likely to catch fire, while acknowledging older EV batteries, if they do catch fire, are harder to extinguish. The Skeptic article also contrasted the UK, where EV sales have overtaken petrol car sales this year despite anti-EV coverage, with Norway, where it reported more than 95% of new car sales in 2025 were EVs and only seven new petrol cars were sold nationally in January, attributing Norwegian uptake partly to incentives such as tax exemptions and toll exemptions. 1
Separately, BGR noted global context for adoption, citing think tank Ember Energy figures showing electric vehicles claimed more than 25% of global new car sales from January to October last year, compared with below 3% in 2019. That growth trajectory sits alongside the UTS finding that Australia has been comparatively slow to adopt EVs and that uptake remains uneven across countries and consumer groups. 32
Both the Australian research and the global survey point in the same direction on remedies. The UTS researchers argued a fair and inclusive transition must create alternative sources of trust, validation and reassurance around EVs, alongside practical responses to genuine barriers including affordability, vehicle choice and charging access, particularly in rural and regional areas. The Global EV Alliance likewise argued consumers who already drive EVs should have a voice in public debate to counter misconceptions, and, through Hiep's comments in its release, that policymakers should implement consumer-focused policies making EVs the most affordable option. 24
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