The study, which examined how 484 US adults would adapt to higher fuel costs, found 57% wouldn’t consider a fully electric car no matter how expensive fuel becomes, with another 10% claiming they had no opinion on the subject.

By comparison, 32% said they would buy a more efficient conventional car before petrol reaches $6 per gallon.

It also showed a link between high earners and EV adoption. Of those with an annual income over $30,000, 15% said they would consider an electric car before prices reached $6 per gallon, compared to 7% of those earning under $30,000.

Research agency Gallup, who have studied behaviour for over 75 years, say the results demonstrate that despite two thirds of respondents claiming to be experiencing financial difficulties at the moment, fuel prices will have to rise dramatically before a mass adoption of EVs in America.