Most people interested in buying electric cars want to save on fuel first. Saving the environment is a secondary concern. Are these folks are just greedy and selfish? No. They’re trying to earn a living without breaking the bank to get to work.

A new study by J.D. Power and Associates finds that electric cars sales barely register as a blip on the sales screen—even after two years on the market. Why? As the Los Angeles Times reports, they cost about $10,000 more than a non-electric car. It would take the average customer nearly seven years to make that difference up in fuel savings. 

Until those prices come down, there are all kinds of ways to be good stewards of the environment in our day-to-day lives. Once they do, then more people can weigh the electric car pros (lower emissions and less gasoline usage) and cons (lots of electricity use and frequent disposal of battery cells with hazardous materials) for themselves, and make the decision that’s best for them.