Scotland and the South-West are in danger of being left behind in the electric vehicle (EV) transition, according to a new report.
The latest analysis from Autotrader’s Road to 2030 reports revealed that there was strong consumer demand for EVs – total views on EV car adverts were up 28% and a half-a-million EVs were registered last year.
But when analysing who was looking at the adverts from a postcode perspective, five of the lowest areas were in the Scotland, one was in Wales, and two were in South West England – ranging from around 21-26%.
In contrast, areas of North West England and London saw figures near to a third – or 33% – of the share of users who had viewed an EV on the website.
The postcode data also shows an urban/rural divide in electric car consideration which is supported by consumer research from Autotrader, showing 85% of city dwellers will consider them, compared to 45% for those living in a rural environment.
Consumer demand for used EVs also grew by 28% year-on-year with the strongest growth in the three to six year old models. Volumes of enquiries for this cohort increased 50% year-on-year. Better value used EVs are also drawing consumers away from younger, more expensive vehicles.
As a result, Autotrader said there was a risk the market dynamics of the younger used EVs will increase the price of new cars as residual values determine monthly costs. With nine in 10 new car buyers using finance, this could cause another bump on the road to 2030, it added.
Ian Plummer, Chief Customer Officer, at Autotrader, said:
“We’re seeing notably lower levels of EV interest in regions like the South-West and Scotland, which reflects deeper structural challenges rather than a lack of appetite for cleaner transport.
“These areas have more rural communities and longer average driving distances all of which make switching to electric feel riskier and less practical for drivers – even though that’s not necessarily the case, as both regions have more rapid chargers per head than the UK overall.
“The momentum behind electric vehicles is unmistakable. Interest jumped 28% last year and we’re seeing a market that is now maturing, particularly as the used market develops.
“But whilst growth is positive, the current levels are insufficient, and our data shows the UK’s EV transition isn’t currently fair or evenly distributed. It’s a two-speed road to 2030. If we’re serious about nationwide progress, we need to bring everybody with us rather than entrenching economic divides. In practice, this means widening the scope of the Electric Car Grant to the used market.
“At the same time the Government needs to rethink its policy on taxing EVs. Introducing pay per mile charging sends mixed messages to consumers which risks delaying the UK’s transition at a time when only around 5% of cars on UK roads are electric.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide
