Electric vehicle uptake may increase over the next few years to
levels far above UK Government targets. In research undertaken by
Baringa Partners, nearly a fifth of people said they would
consider buying an electric vehicle for their next car – double
the Government goal for electric cars to make up 9% of the fleet
by 2020. However, concerns over purchase price and range mean
nearly a third of people believe electric cars will never
overtake petrol and diesel vehicles. Baringa is urging the
Government to work harder to ensure continued support for the
industry and remove barriers to purchasing electric cars.
In Baringa’s survey, 18% of respondents said they are likely to
consider going electric next time they buy a new car. As Tesla’s
Model 3 car begins rolling off the production line, and Volvo
vows to make only electric engines from 2019, Baringa believes
the tide could be turning for electric vehicles.
Oliver Rix, Partner at Baringa Partners, said:
“Electrification, taken together with the potential for
autonomous vehicles, means we are on the verge of a revolution in
personal transport. The next generation may find it hard to
believe the level of pollution and risk we currently submit
ourselves to on our roads.
“If we’d asked people ten, or even five, years ago if they’d buy
an electric car, the percentage saying ‘yes’ would have been
virtually non-existent. But, after a sluggish start for electric
vehicles, Tesla, though still a small company in terms of
production, has managed to shift perceptions to such a point that
large car makers are having to follow. We’re now seeing big
companies like Volvo sensing this change in public perception and
putting their money and brand influence behind them. With greater
public awareness around the environmental impact of petrol and
diesel, and a wider variety of electric vehicles to choose from,
the only way is up.”
However, the research also found that 32% of people believe
electric vehicles will never overtake petrol and diesel cars.
This is partly driven by the fact that 55% of people are worried
about not being able to travel far enough to reach the next
charging point, an issue the Government has pledged to address.
People are also put off by the cost (54%) and concerns about a
lack of charging points near home (53%).
Oliver Rix added:
“The cost of electric vehicles has been a turn-off since the
start. The withdrawal of grant schemes isn’t going to help with
that perception. But we’re now at a point where they’re becoming
much more affordable; indeed, we predict that electric vehicles
will become cheaper than diesel cars by 2022 and on a par with
petrol ones by 2023. We’re also seeing improvements in the range
of electric vehicles.
“The Government is also planning to install more charging points
around the country, which may help soften concerns over
infrastructure. However, to really boost the number of electric
vehicles on UK roads, the Government will need to produce a
convincing long-term road map to demonstrate how it intends to
ensure that an acceleration in uptake can lead on to mass
deployment. Bolder and clearer policies are needed to address
issues such as the impact on grids, integration with the energy
system on a large scale, and interplay with autonomous vehicles,
which could fundamentally change car use. These policies will, in
turn, impact on the uptake of electric vehicles and electricity
network infrastructure.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Research was conducted online by Opinium between 23 to 27 June
2017 among a nationally representative sample of 2005 UK adults.
