A majority of Americans are unaware about electric vehicles or have never ridden in one, according to a recent survey. However, an overwhelming share of respondents who had experience with this technology had a favorable impression of it.

Altman Vilandrie & Company, a strategic consulting group, polled 2,500 people for the survey. Sixty percent of respondents said they lacked awareness about electric vehicles, while 80 percent said they had never driven or ridden in one.

Among those who had been in an electric vehicle as either a driver or passenger, 60 percent said they enjoyed the experience. Only 8 percent said they had not enjoyed riding in an electric vehicle.

Just 3 percent of the survey's respondents said they currently own an electric vehicle. However, 10 percent said they were planning to buy one as their next vehicle.

Younger and wealthier respondents were most likely to consider buying an electric vehicle. Eighteen percent of those between the ages of 25 and 34 and 17 percent of those earning more than $100,000 a year said they planned to go electric for their next vehicle purchase.

"While the EV adoption rate is low, there are signs of strong latent demand in the marketplace," said Moe Kelley, director of Altman Vilandrie & Company. "The auto industry still needs to make more low-priced models available to consumers, as well as finding a way for more drivers to try out an EV. If those things happen, we should see the EV adoption rate accelerate."

Range anxiety, or the worry that an electric vehicle will not be able to travel as long or as far as needed on its available charge, was the top concern among respondents who were not considering an electric vehicle purchase. Eighty-five percent cited a perceived lack of charging stations, while 74 percent said they were worried about how long a charge would last.

Drivers who spent more time on the road were more likely to have range anxiety, but this concern covered a range of driving times. Eighty-seven percent of those who drive more than three hours a day said they were worried about the vehicle's range, compared to 72 percent of those who drive less than one hour a day.

Many electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles available today have a range of less than 100 miles, making them more suitable for city driving and shorter trips. Other models which are currently available or will be released within the next year have been rated for a longer range at full charge, including the Nissan LEAF (107 miles), Hyundai Ioniq (124 miles), and Chevrolet Bolt (238 miles). Tesla Motors has two electric models with an average range over 200 miles, with a third expected to be available in 2018.

Eighty-three percent of respondents cited the high costs of electric vehicles as a reason for not wanting to purchase one. Altman Vilandrie & Company determined that the electric vehicle market would grow significantly if more models became available at $35,000 or lower. The group suggests that electric vehicle adoption would be 24 times as great as the current market if all automakers released less expensive models.

Several electric vehicle models have already hit the $35,000 price point. The Nissan LEAF is advertised starting at $30,680. The Chevrolet Bolt starts at $37,495, but says this price can be lowered to $29,995 after a federal tax credit. Tesla models are more costly, but the starting price for the Model 3 which begins production this year is $35,000.

"Price matters, and our analysis shows that more affordable models would go a long way to changing the perception that EVs are luxury items for the urban elite," said Soumen Ganguly, director at Altman Vilandrie & Company. "Both electric and self-driving vehicles are the future of personal transportation but carmakers need to make sure consumers are excited about going electric now, and that goes beyond the obvious environmental benefits."