The Barclays study focuses on consumers purchasing Tesla EVs rather than other makes. "[I]n previous years, consumers who bought EVs were spending more on gas prior to their purchase than consumers in recent years," Zhu said. "This suggests that new EV buyers are willing to buy an EV even at lower levels of gas expenditure, and that EV demand will stay higher than before even if gas prices decline." "Our U.S. Barclays credit card data show consumers with lower gas expenditures are now more willing to buy EVs than previously," Zhu said. "In recent years, EV buyers were already spending less on gas prior to their EV purchase than EV buyers in previous years."

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Persons: Joy Zhu, Tesla, Zhu, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Barclays, U.S, EV, Volkswagen, Volvo Locations: Germany