The transition to electric vehicles and smart home devices is proceeding quickly — despite some consumer jitters — as people discover they like the stuff once they buy it, an Axios-Momentive poll found.
Why it matters: The transition to “electric everything” will require ongoing investment and innovation. But consumers are already starting to appreciate some aspects of the home of the future.
We enjoy…
- The convenience of next-generation appliances, which can turn themselves on and off as needed;
- The enhanced entertainment options afforded by smart TVs and home theaters;
- And the potential for greener energy and enhanced resilience that smart homes and cars can offer.
Driving the news: A slight majority (54%) of adults in the U.S. say they’re enthusiastic about having smart devices in their homes, according to the online poll by Axios and Momentive (the makers of Survey Monkey), which surveyed 2,553 adults March 23-25.
- 44% are not enthusiastic, and 45% are actively worried — perhaps about privacy or security concerns, which continue to dog such devices.
"Hey Siri": The overwhelming majority (75%) of adults in the U.S. say they or someone in their family interacts with a voice-activated assistant.
- 61% of them do so on a smartphone.
- 35% do so through a smart speaker, 29% in a car, 14% on a computer and 7% on another device.
Be smart: More than half — 58% — of respondents say they have at least one smart home device — like intelligent lighting, a home security system, or an oven, dishwasher or fridge.
- 37% own one or two.
- 21% own three or more.
The intrigue: While 4 in 10 (41%) say they don’t currently have any smart devices in their home, many people aren't aware that many of the light bulbs or other everyday products they buy can be networked or made to behave in "smart" ways.
- 54% of those 65+ say they don’t currently have any smart home devices.
- 39% of those 35-64 say that they don't either — as do 35% of those 18-34.
Enthusiasm for smart home devices falls as worries increase, with 62% of people who are “not enthusiastic at all” about having a smart device in their home saying they are worried — including 40% who are “very worried.”
- Republicans are more likely than Democrats to be worried (54% vs. 40%).
🚘 Vroom: Adults are revved up about electric cars: 64% say they’d be likely to purchase an electric vehicle if money were no object, while just a third (34%) say they’d pass.
- Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they'd get an EV if money weren't a consideration (83% vs. 46%).
- Younger people are a bit more likely to give the thumbs up:
- 72% of those 18-34 would buy an EV if they could.
- 62% of those 35-64.
- and 58% of those 65+
Methodology: The Axios-Momentive online poll was conducted March 23-25, 2022, among a national sample of 2,553 adults. Respondents were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on the Momentive platform each day. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points. Data have been weighted for age, race, sex, education and geography using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to reflect the demographic composition of the United States age 18 and over.