New research commissioned by Farizon has revealed a strong majority of UK tradespeople are considering a switch to electric vans.
More than 70% of respondents in the trades would consider an electric van as their next work vehicle, compared to 55% of the general public on the same question.
Farizon’s research identified a generational difference in attitudes towards electric vans, with 85% of tradespeople aged 18-24 stating they would consider switching, compared with only 33% of those aged 65 and over.
Views towards electrification also varied across the UK, with those in Wales recorded the highest levels of interest in electric vans (67%), followed by those in London (52%). By contrast, no respondents in Northern Ireland said they’d consider making the switch.
The findings bear some correlation to the regional accessibility of public charging infrastructure, it added. According to data obtained from Zapmap and published by the Department for Transport (DfT), Northern Ireland has the lowest number of public EV chargers per head, with 39 devices per 100,000 residents.
By comparison, Wales has 122 devices per 100,000 residents. London has the highest concentration of EV chargers per head, with 301 devices per 100,000 residents.
Farizon’s survey also found that the confidence in eLCVs varies between professions. Half (50%) of electricians, builders and gardeners surveyed said they would ‘definitely consider’ switching to an electric van, whereas only 18% of carpenters and 20% of plumbers were as keen.
Calum James, Country General Manager at Farizon Auto UK, said:
“With electric van sales across the industry not matching the levels of interest, it suggests a huge, untapped opportunity is there for the taking.
“Older generations of tradies have spent their working lives trusting in diesel-powered vans, and maybe younger drivers are keener to embrace a new technology. It’s imperative that we make a clear case to all tradespeople about the real-world benefits of our latest generation electric vans. Farizon vans incorporate useful new tech like a payload monitoring system and domestic three-pin outlets to power equipment and charge up tool batteries, making the working day easier for everyone.”
“It’s interesting that regional disparities in the interest in going electric seems to line up with the strength of the public charging infrastructure. It highlights the importance of confidence in the ecosystem around EVs.”
“Ultimately, this research shows that there’s an encouraging level of interest among tradespeople in going electric. And we know our vans can comfortably fulfil the vast majority of their needs and dramatically reduce their running costs. We’re already seeing a significant acceleration in sales and we’re looking forward to more rapid and sustained growth in the medium and longer term.”
Image courtesy of Farizon
