According to Sawyer Merritt, a recent J.D. Power report reveals that U.S. consumer interest in electric vehicles (EVs) is surging, with 24.2% of active car shoppers in October 2025 being 'very likely' to consider an EV—the highest figure since January 2025 (source: Sawyer Merritt, Twitter, Nov 11, 2025). Nearly 60% of potential buyers are at least 'somewhat likely' to go electric in the next 12 months, up 2.6 points from September. Notably, approximately 243,000 franchise EV leases are set to expire in 2026, more than triple the 2025 figure, and 62% of those lessees are expected to choose another EV. These trends demonstrate a rapidly expanding market for AI-powered automotive solutions, such as predictive maintenance, intelligent charging infrastructure, and personalized in-car experiences. The surge in EV adoption presents significant business opportunities for AI companies to partner with automakers and dealers, optimize EV lifecycle management, and create data-driven customer engagement platforms.