Rising Fuel Prices Spiking Interest in Electric Vehicles

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Long-time and current electric car owners are feeling pretty good about their purchase amid recent spikes in gas prices.

As fuel prices rise, car buying service, CarEdge, detected a 20 percent hike in electric car online searches.

Local drivers charging their electric cars spoke with your News Channel about the spike in interest.

"We got the car a few years ago when gas prices weren't as much, but it is very convenient not going to gas station and not worrying about that," said Lisa Mufson behind the wheel of her electric BMW.

Electric Audi driver Yvonne Tulloch agrees.

"With the price of gas, now this is way more economical,' said Tulloch.

She is enjoying free charging that comes with the first few years of owning her Audi - "I wanted to contribute to environment," said Tulloch.

Even though incentives to buy electric have been phased out and fuel efficiency regulations have been rolled back, people are trading gas guzzlers for electric and hybrids.

Abraham Chapman drove with his mother to charge her electric VW behind a local bank. He says he would like to have his own all-electric vehicle some day.

Cities and private property owners are investing in charging stations to keep up. 

One new charging area in a lot on the corner of Chapala and Carrillo Streets in Santa Barbara is under construction.

It is a private lot that looks to be ready to open this Spring.

Electric vehicle sales slipped last year to 7.8 percent of all sales. That could see some changes as the war with Iran pushes prices up at the pump.

Some new models including Ford Mustangs in the $50,000 range.

People on the fence shared concerns about their mile range, but new models show improvement.

If the number of EV sales go up prices should come down.

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