Specifically, 51 percent of Tesla owners transitioned to pure internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, 10 percent moved to hybrids, and 6 percent chose plug-in hybrids. These findings align with a McKinsey & Co. survey, which revealed that 46 percent of EV owners in the U.S. are likely to return to combustion-powered vehicles for their next purchase.
Despite these trends, the situation has improved since 2020, when 76 percent of Tesla owners switched to ICE vehicles, with only 9 percent transitioning to other electric models. This decline indicates a gradual shift towards greater acceptance of EVs, though significant improvements are still needed to make EV ownership more appealing.
An increasing number of Tesla owners are now replacing their cars with electric vehicles from legacy automakers. This shift is expected, as Tesla faces more competition from established brands entering the EV market.
Interestingly, hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are not gaining much traction as alternatives to Teslas. While these vehicle types are growing in popularity among new car buyers, they seem less appealing to those with prior EV experience. However, the proportion of Tesla owners switching to PHEVs is higher than the overall PHEV market rate, likely because these former EV owners are familiar with the challenges of vehicle charging.
Source: Edmunds
