Beyond the early adopters: How brand will drive the EV movement

Building on our recent Energy Voices webinar with Matt Teske, CEO and Founder of Chargeway, and Monique Bertnsen, Head of Brand and Communications at Mer, we explore the potential for brand to respond to the anxieties blocking electric vehicle (EV) adoption.

The world of EV is entering its young adulthood.

From a community of early adopters and innovative leaders – where electric cars were for the few, not the many – there is wider uptake on the horizon. A recent study found that half of US households are now considering EVs, plug-in hybrids and hybrid electric vehicles for their next purchase.

Yet, despite the positive perception shifts, the road to electrification is still paved with challenges. Sales in the past 12 months have been slower than hoped or initially anticipated – with global EV sales reported to increase 36% year-on-year in 2024, compared to an estimated 62% in 2023.

So, why the slump?

From range anxiety and absent infrastructure, through to affordability issues and concerns around charging effectiveness, it seems many are still struggling to simply feel confident in a switch to EV.

How brand can help break the barriers to adoption

Enter the power and efficacy of good communication.

In this emerging space, leaders must leverage brand as their tool for enhanced understanding — to swerve the myths, bridge the barriers, and accelerate uptake with everyday people. As Teske said during our recent webinar, if consumers don’t have confidence in the technology, they won’t buy it.

Here are three simple takeaways from our conversation to help brand leaders seeking to drive the movement in EV:

1.

Be relevant

We all know technology takes off most effectively when it fits meaningfully into people’s lives — and the world of EV is no different.

“How does this fit into your life? Every brand that’s in electrification has to know how to navigate that question — not only on behalf of their own brand, but also the other brands that are going to be a part of that confidence-building experience,” says Teske.

With 98% of energy leaders seeking to evolve their brand to meet changing stakeholder needs, and 81% of those same leaders wanting to build awareness through more targeted and specific communications in the future — it’s clear that brand relevance has never been more critical in the era of electrification.

For CMOs and brand leaders in the world of EV, it’s crucial to prioritize storytelling over statistics; to move beyond rational communications about functionality or charging speed in kilowatts, and towards emotive stories that connect on a more meaningful level. What value does your brand create in people’s lives? How does it fit into their worldview, or contribute to building a future they care about?

Always trust in the power of a clear and powerful story to build belief in what you do.

2.

Keep it simple

As we move beyond a community of enthusiasts to the mass market, the winning brands in EV will champion one thing: simplicity.

Look no further than Mer’s fundamental focus on building a simple, suitable, and sustainable EV charging experience, or Chargeway’s game-changing color and number system for electric fuel choice. These propositions and brand philosophies radically simplify the user experience. They make switching to EV easier.

“For us, it was a matter of being open to feedback, and we recognized early on that being reliable, being focused on simplicity and also accessibility was really fundamental in our work going forward,” says Berntsen.

The rule itself is simple: listen and adapt. Pinpoint the moments in your brand experience that can be enhanced or improved. From the email to the iPhone, in prior times of technological advancement, we’ve seen initial complexity barriers be overcome through focused problem solving — where, every time, the heroes have swept in to streamline and simplify.

So, for your brand, start with the voice of your customers — hearing directly from both the advocates and detractors on what matters, what frustrates, and what would delight. Then, identify ways to be the brand that make things that little bit more straightforward.

3.

Build connections

Many of the obstacles facing the world of EV require collective action or conversation.

Look no further than charging infrastructure, as an example, where charging networks, utility companies, local authorities and automakers need to collaborate to create optimal solutions.

“Norway is a great example of policy, energy, and automotive working together, and how you can blend those silos together to create a good experience for non-early adopters,” reiterates Teske.

To truly drive the movement towards electrification, brand leaders need to shift from a siloed mindset of competition to one of radical collaboration.

As a CMO or brand leader in the space, use your position and influence to cultivate partnerships or conversations that broaden your brand’s reach and expand its potential. Seek alliances and ventures that deliver what your customers need, accelerate your own proposition, and unlock new commercial opportunities.

Overcoming the infrastructure obstacles ahead will require brands to orchestrate – rather than solely solve – the answer. Be the voice of connectivity.

If you’re a leader in the sector looking for ways to drive the movement towards electrification, contact us here.

To watch our Energy Voices conversation with Monique Berntsen, Mer, and Matt Teske, Chargeway, you can view the recording here.