LANSING, Mich. — Michigan officials and the Big Three automakers are making massive efforts to transition to electric vehicles, but a new public poll shows almost half of Michigan voters oppose the shift, and more than 60% said they would not consider buying an EV in their next purchase.

Of the 600 voters asked, 46.4% supported the overall shift toward EVs, while 44.4% opposed the move, the poll showed.

The poll, conducted in mid-February by the Glengariff Group of Lansing and commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber, also showed that more than 44% of the 600 likely voters polled thought the push toward EVs was being driven primary by government regulations and incentives. Just 18% of those polled thought consumer demand was driving the push toward EVs. The poll has a margin of error of 4%.

Both the industry and state are pushing a shift to EVs. Ford Motor (NYSE: F), for example, is preparing to spend $3.5 billion to build a large plant to produce EV batteries near the tourist city of Marshall in Calhoun County. The state is committing to spend some $1.6 billion in incentives to lure the plant, which is expected to employ 2,500 people.

In addition, the state’s Mi Healthy Climate Plan calls for a major increase in EV usage by 2040, including converting 100% of the state’s light-duty vehicle fleet to EVs by 2035.

But the poll shows that support for EVs in Michigan depends on a variety of factors, including the region the respondent lives in, their age and especially their political leanings.

The poll showed voters living in the Metro Detroit area, where the economy remains strongly centered on the auto industry, support the shift to EVs by 53.3% to 32.4%. Those living outside the Detroit area oppose the shift on a basis 40.2% to 50.6%.

The poll also showed that 51.2% of voters between 18 and 29 years old would consider buying an EV, but 74.7% of those older than 65 would not consider buying an EV.

And 56.6% of voters considering themselves strong Democrats said they will consider buying an EV, but 83.9% of those who are strong Republicans said they would not consider buying an EV.

Of those opposing a shift to EVs, 19.6% said the state’s electric grid could not support the vehicles, another 18.4% said the shift would be too expensive and 13.3% said Michigan’s infrastructure could not support the shift to EVs.

Glengariff Group President Richard Czuba said the poll showed voters are getting caught up in the “culture wars.”

“I don’t think we should be shocked to see this, but I do think it’s a challenge for the automakers simply because you’ve got half of the population saying they won’t even consider this,” he said.