Current barriers

Ahead of the proposed 2040 ban on petrol and diesel cars, Auto Trader conducted research on purchasing electric cars in the UK. Although the government wants 50% of all cars to be electric by 2030, drivers remain skeptical of hurdles like infrastructure and initial costs. Below are some key findings:

  • 74% of drivers are unaware of grants for purchasing electric cars.
  • Only 26% of people will consider an electric car on their next purchase.
  • Current car owners will wait 9 years before switching to electric or hybrid.
  • Upfront costs remain a big hurdle, despite overall reduced operating expenses.
  • EV’s cost as little as 2p per mile, whilst petrol or diesel cars run 10-12p per mile – not to mention higher potential fees for driving through London’s Congestion Charge zone.
    Perceived limited range also proves difficult for drivers.

    “Although charging is one of the biggest barriers to mass consumer uptake, almost half of motorists drive less than 15 miles a day, while 98% said they travel less than 100 – well within the range of pure electric vehicles and easily achievable in a plug-in hybrid. What’s more, charging data also shows more than 90% of all EV charging takes place at home, bringing added convenience for drivers.” – Poppy Welch, Head of Go Ultra Low

    High ranked electric cars

    If you’re considering the switch, there are many models to choose from. According to Car Magazine, the following are the best electric cars to date.

    1. Nissan Leaf
    2. BMW i3
    3. Honda Kona Electric
    4. Jaguar i-Pace
    5. Tesla Model S
    6. Renault Zoe
    7. Hyundai Ioniq Electric
    8. Tesla Model X
    9. VW e-Golf
    10. Kia Soul EV
    11. Smart Fortwo Electric Drive
    12. VW e-Up

    Locating a charging point

    With tools like Zap Map, it’s easy to find a charging station nearest you – especially if you live in a major UK city. They even colour code stations by charging speeds, with slow, fast, and rapid. In some instances – charging can take as little as an hour, just barely enough time for lunch and a cup of tea. According to the site, there are more than 9000 devices at 5500 public charging locations on the map.

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