Recent surveys indicate that Tesla owners have a distinctive demographic profile compared to the average driver. According to a study by Hedges & Company, a digital marketing firm for automakers, the typical Tesla owner in 2022 can be described as an upper-middle-class white male. The study analyzed data from a vehicle owner database encompassing more than 175 million car owners, focusing specifically on Tesla Model S, Model 3, and Model X owners.
The findings revealed that a significant majority of Model S and Model X owners, 77% and 71%, respectively, identified as male. Similarly, 84% of Model 3 owners were male. In contrast, the Federal Highway Administration reports that approximately 49% of licensed drivers in the United States are male, providing a basis for comparison.
It is important to note that these statistics capture a snapshot of the Tesla ownership demographic at a particular time and may not reflect the entirety of Tesla owners or their evolving diversity.
A significant majority of Tesla owners are of Caucasian descent, as indicated by a study conducted by Hedges and Company. According to their findings, 87% of individuals who own any of the three Tesla models identify as Caucasian. The study also revealed that 8% of Tesla owners identify as Hispanic, while the remaining 5% encompass individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. It is essential to acknowledge that these statistics provide a snapshot of the ethnic distribution among Tesla owners and may not contain the full spectrum of diversity within the ownership community.
Age Distribution of Tesla Drivers: Millennials and Generation Z
A notable trend among Tesla drivers is their higher incomes. An analysis conducted by Hedges and Company revealed that Tesla drivers predominantly belong to the upper middle class, defined as individuals with annual household incomes exceeding $100,000. Specifically, the study found that, on average, Model S drivers have a yearly household income of $151,096, Model 3 drivers average $133,879, and Model X drivers average $146,623. In contrast, the median household income in the United States, based on 2021 data from the US Census Bureau, stands at $70,784.
Moreover, Tesla drivers display a higher rate of homeownership. The study found that 88% of current Model X and Model S Tesla owners own their own homes, while 56% of Model 3 owners are homeowners. Comparatively, the national homeownership rate in the United States is approximately 64%, with a lower rate of homeownership, below 33%, observed among Americans under age 34, as reported by the US Census Bureau.
Interestingly, Tesla owners are less likely to have children in their households. The analysis revealed that around 66% of Tesla owners do not have children living with them. However, this does not necessarily imply that Tesla owners are childless altogether. The study highlighted that Model S and Model X owners tend to be older, with median ages of 52 and 54, respectively, while Model 3 owners have a median age of 51.
Demographics and Preferences of Electric Vehicle (EV) Drivers
Hedges and Company’s analysis aligns with other studies regarding Tesla drivers regarding gender and income. However, another study conducted by Jerry, a car insurance savings app based in Palo Alto, discovered that 70% of the drivers in their dataset who owned a Tesla were 34 years old or younger. This indicates that most Tesla drivers belong to the Millennial or Generation-Z age groups. As of January, the insurance group examined the safety and demographic data from 10 million trips involving 62,000 drivers across 52 different car makes. Among these trips, 30,000 were taken by 228 Tesla drivers, enabling them to compare the driving habits of electric car owners with those of other drivers on the road.
In addition to the findings above, the study conducted in January revealed that Tesla drivers tend to have higher levels of education compared to the average population. Approximately one-third of the Tesla drivers in the survey held either a master’s degree or a doctoral degree, significantly higher than the corresponding percentage of 13% in the overall US population, as reported by the Census. Furthermore, the study conducted by Jerry also shed light on the most common occupations among Tesla drivers. The data indicated that a considerable number of Tesla owners were employed as engineers, managers of operations, and software engineers.
Moreover, the study highlighted an interesting trend regarding the typical electric vehicle (EV) buyer. It suggested that the majority of EV buyers falling into this category were affluent Millennials who had chosen to replace their luxury gas-powered cars with electric vehicles. This indicates a preference shift among younger generations, as they increasingly prioritize sustainable transportation options and embrace the benefits of electric vehicles.
These insights provide valuable information about the demographics and preferences of Tesla drivers and contribute to a broader understanding of the evolving landscape of the automotive industry as it adapts to the demands of a more environmentally conscious consumer base.
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