64% Of UK Drivers ‘Won’t Go Electric’ With Next Car Purchase

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Despite the growing need to move away from fossil fuels, it seems that there’s still yet some reluctance where electric vehicles are concerned, with new research revealing that 64 per cent of motorists in the UK have no plans in place for their next car purchase to be electric.

Carried out by Close Brothers Motor Finance, The Road Ahead study found that just one in ten expect to invest in an electric vehicle when they next come to buy a car, with 30 per cent planning to go for a petrol model (the most popular choice, even now).

According to Motor Trader, one in five expect their next new car to be a hybrid, while 13 per cent would go for diesel, with financial concerns emerging as the biggest barrier to switching to electric.

Some 21 per cent of survey respondents said they were worried about the initial cost of electric vehicles, while 20 per cent said they were deterred by the cost of electricity at the moment. Furthermore, 17 per cent said they were put off by a lack of charging infrastructure and 15 per cent said they were worried about running out of battery while on the road.

Lisa Watson, sales director at Close Brothers, was quoted by the news source as saying: “Given the current economic climate and financial pressures faced by many UK households, it is unfortunately not surprising that costs are prohibiting more widespread EV adoption in the UK.

“Coupled with the financial outlay, consumers will be feeling particularly frustrated by other factors such as the current charging infrastructure which still has some way to go to efficiently meet demand. 

“As financial benefits are the biggest factor for encouraging people to switch to electric, the government’s recent Autumn Statement announcement that electric vehicles will now be subject to vehicle excise duty from 2025 will only function as another barrier. The government needs to be offering incentives, not taking them away.”

This comes after RAC research found that charging costs for electric vehicles climbed by 42 per cent in four months… so it’s perhaps unsurprising that drivers are being deterred from investing.

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