(Feature Impact) For more than one-third of Americans, one simple number is leading them to research electric vehicles: the final tally at a recent gas station fill-up.

This, according to new research from Hyundai Motor America, isn’t a hypothetical situation. In fact, 23% of respondents reported it’s happened to them more than once. For nearly half of Americans, pulling up to the pump now brings frustration or outright dread.

Many drivers have a number in mind where the math begins shifting, and once the shift happens, it rarely goes away. The pump is no longer just the close of a sale; for a growing number of drivers, it’s where questions begin.

For 23% of those surveyed, $5 per gallon is where they would start considering alternatives to a gas-powered vehicle. While some say they wouldn’t consider alternatives based on gas costs at all, this meaningful share of Americans points toward a specific tipping point.

Some begin by comparing models or brands while others find themselves on an automaker’s website, further along in the process than they initially expected to be. Most don’t act on this impulse right away, but drivers are increasingly caught somewhere between curious and committed – and 46% of those surveyed said they’d be likely to seriously research an EV.

The desire to leave the pump behind, which an EV would allow for, is a deal nearly half of respondents said they would take. However, the transition isn’t frictionless as charging access and range anxiety remain the top concerns for 28% of potential buyers.

While the move toward electric vehicles is often framed as a long-term decision made with spreadsheets and financial planning, for many Americans, it’s beginning somewhere smaller: a routine fuel stop and an eye-opening receipt.

If you’ve found yourself dismayed at the pump, find more information on electric vehicles at HyundaiUSA.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Source: Hyundai