I think it’s because your choice of car is a fundamental element of who you are as a person. There are other topics like that, such as religion or politics. Expression and opinion on those topics means you’re automatically challenging another person on their choice. That is why it’s best to just not discuss politics or religion or abortion or any other such issues with people who you know have a strongly different opinion. Change has to come from within them.

Since EV transition is also a political item you’re touching on two such fundamental person-defining issues. Even if you’re not talking to a person who strongly hates EVs, your own choice is already challenging theirs.

I think the best way to reduce such friction is to avoid engaging in tribalism, like gamers do in console wars. Internal change needs to be triggered through show-not-tell. Those people need to see that

1. EV owners don’t look down on them for their choice
2. don’t even care about their choice
3. realize internally or through seeing how EV owners do that there are objective benefits to EVs

So that they overcome their dislike of EVs and EV owners by themselves. Then they won’t feel like they’re being „reeducated“ top down.