New EV owners resist gasoline cars, survey shows

FILE PHOTO: An electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station is seen in the parking lot of a Whole Foods Market in Austin, Texas, U.S., December 14, 2016. REUTERS/Mohammad Khursheed/File Photo/File Photo

(Reuters) - First-time owners of electric vehicles were reluctant to switch back to gasoline-fueled cars even as concerns continued to loom about the availability of charging infrastructure, a report from J.D. Power showed on Thursday.

Sales of EVs in the United States jumped to a record high earlier this month with 434,879 new units on the road, however, demand for their hybrid counterparts remained strong as many customers withdrew from EVs due to higher prices, limited driving range and fewer charging stations than required.