The factors that assist the UK’s transition to electric vehicles (EV) have moved up in the right direction, according to The AA’s latest EV Readiness Index.
The increase reflects improving affordability in the used EV market and gradual progress on key consumer barriers.
The overall readiness score has risen to 53.8 in Q1 2026 which covers December, January, and February. Q4 2025 scored 48.8, and Q3 2025 was at 47.5.
The quarterly Index tracks eight indicators influencing drivers’ readiness to switch to electric vehicles, combining them into a single Readiness Rating measuring how practical and attractive EV ownership is for motorists today.
Polling of more than 12,000 AA members found that only 3% of drivers are confident in buying a used EV, 22% are confident in charging, and 30% feel less confident driving an EV compared to an ICE vehicle.
Some 55% said the prospect of eVED may put them off buying a new or used EV.
The AA warns that mixed messages from government policy and continued weakness in EV demand risk undermining the longer-term health of the market, particularly for fleets and manufacturers who underpin new EV sales.
While conditions improved during the quarter, the Index highlights a market that is still in transition rather than at mass adoption.
The increase in the overall Readiness Rating was largely driven by falling prices in the used EV market, which have now dropped below the cost of equivalent petrol cars for the first time since the Index launched in September 2025. Used EVs were 10% cheaper than comparable internal combustion engine vehicles during the quarter.
The research suggests that better information and clearer reassurance on battery health and reliability will be critical to unlocking demand, particularly in the used market.
Edmund King OBE, AA president, said:
“Our AA UK EV Readiness Index shows that conditions for switching to electric cars are improving, with cheaper used EVs opening the door for more drivers. But the reality is that the transition remains fragile.
“Lower prices may be good news for motorists looking for a bargain, but if values fall too quickly it becomes unsustainable for fleets and manufacturers who buy most new electric cars in the first place.
“At the same time, mixed messages from government – including uncertainty around future taxes such as eVED – risk denting confidence just as the market is beginning to mature from the early adopters.
“To keep momentum going we need clearer long-term policy signals and better information for drivers so they can make an informed choice when or whether to switch.
“Although spiralling petrol and diesel prices as a result of the situation in Iran are not included in our Q1 Index, we might see high fuel costs as another incentive to go electric in the future.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide
