Drivers are more confident in their knowledge and the charging infrastructure but cannot afford to purchase an electric alternative
Analysis of the 2024 Europcar Mobility Group UK electric vehicle (EV) barometer reveals that, across the year, the cost of purchasing and maintaining an EV is a growing concern amongst private motorists. Quarterly averages reveal costs are a barrier for more drivers today than 12 months ago, while charging infrastructure, knowledge about EV ownership and vehicle models and availability have each decreased as concerns in the past 12 months.
In Q1 2024 costs held back 62.6% of would-be EV drivers. By Q4 the figure had grown to 65.2%. Charging infrastructure remains a significant barrier but fell slightly from the Q1 at 49.6% to 46.7% in Q4.
Encouragingly, driver confidence also appears to be steadily increasing, cited as a barrier by 22.7% in Q1 and 20.3% by Q4 2024. Likewise, the choice and availability of EV models has become a slightly less significant barrier, falling from 14.4% in Q1 to 13.2% in Q4.
“Although the purchase price of EVs is falling more in line with that of petrol and diesel equivalents, it is still high enough to hold back many drivers from making the switch to greener motoring,” commented Sarah Clarke, Consumer Marketing Manager at Europcar.
“At Europcar we are helping our customers experience EV driving in the real world without the high up front cost of purchase. Our growing range of rental options and vehicle choices mean we have an EV to suit every journey, and a detailed handover helps drivers take to the road happy and confident.”
To help motorists gain a better understanding of EV life, Europcar regularly updates its free digital EV Guide and Knowledge Hub. The beginner’s guide to EVs answers the most common questions and helps drivers make sense of all the buzzwords and acronyms. It also explains how switching to an EV will help save money and reduce emissions. Importantly, the guide covers EV incentives available and details how to charge an EV, including explaining the different types of chargers. Europcar customers hiring an EV also gain access to Zapmap through the EV Guide to ensure finding a suitable charger is quick, easy and convenient.
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