More than 90% would not return to ICE cars, survey finds
EVA England’s Great EV Charging Survey has revealed 91% would not return to a petrol or diesel car and 86% are finding EVs cheaper to run.
Other key findings of the survey of more than 1,700 respondents included 64% feeling public charging has improved in the past year, and more than half of drivers switching to EVs for cost reasons.
It also found there was a growing “charging divide” as 9 in 10 of those who charged at home found it cheaper than petrol and diesel, but this was only the case for 5 out of 10 who used only public charging points. EV charging costs can vary from as low as 7p per kWh via home charging, to closer to 80p per kWh on a rapid public charger.
Furthermore, more than two thirds of drivers are also in favour of mandating larger businesses to provide EV charging points for their employees.
Among drivers who bought their car under a year ago, more than half reported cost as the main decision factor, suggesting the ‘typical’ EV driver is now more price-driven.
Demographics among respondents also shifted, showing an increasingly even gender split and lower average household income. Almost a third – 30% – of drivers who purchased an EV in the past year purchased second-hand, the highest represented category.
Overall, the survey confirms drivers are standing firm against the spread of misinformation against the sector, with steady growth, overwhelming satisfaction rates, and a diversifying demand all underlining strong progress for EVs in the past year.
James Court, Chief Executive of EVA England, said
“Our survey is always a yearly highlight in giving us real time feedback on which aspects of the EV landscape are working, and which still require some concerted effort.
“It’s great to see satisfaction rates remain so high in the context of heightened misinformation, and so encouraging to see more people consider EVs who seemingly weren’t just a year ago.”
Vicky Read, ChargeUK CEO, said:
“It’s really encouraging to see drivers acknowledge the improvements in the public charging network over the past year. With one public charger being installed every 25 minutes, and the network as a whole growing 42% a year, availability has never been better.
“However, our members want to roll out even faster and ensure there is provision for drivers who cannot charge at home. We also know that owning and charging an EV needs to be affordable. Therefore, we are looking to the new Government to remove delivery barriers, speed up public procurement for on-street charging and address unfair VAT and standing charges on electricity, so that we can offer convenient and affordable charging for all.”
Image of report courtesy of EVA England
