range anxiety

American  

[reynj ang-zahy-i-tee] / ˈreɪndʒ æŋˌzaɪ ɪ ti /

noun

Informal.

1. the apprehension or fear that an electric vehicle’s battery will run out of power before reaching one’s intended destination or a charging station.

   Studies have shown that range anxiety is a major psychological obstacle in the quest to popularize the electric car.

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Etymology

Origin of range anxiety

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

After a single charging session, the car will be able to drive at least 329 miles, which ought to combat some customers’ range anxiety.

From Barron's • Oct. 9, 2025

But given lingering range anxiety and U.S. preference for excess, any carmaker that wants to reach mass-market sales that rival their gas-powered equivalents can’t hope to do so without offering long-range options.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 11, 2024

The breakthrough could alleviate "range anxiety" among drivers who worry electric vehicles cannot travel long distances without a time-consuming recharge.

From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2024

"We have a thing in our industry that I call 'temperature anxiety'," he says, likening it to the "range anxiety" that some consumers have about electric cars.

From BBC • Jan. 1, 2024

Asked what most discouraged them from going all-electric, voters most often mentioned cost, with range anxiety and lack of public charging stations also prominently mentioned.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2022