The number of drivers planning to change their vehicle to a fully electric option has risen, research from the latest RAC Report on Motoring shows.
Nine per cent of the 3,000 respondents to the study said they would ‘go electric’ next time around, up from 6% in 2019 and 3% in 2018, the report states, with the statistics pointing to an inclination in consumer habits moving towards available zero-emission vehicle options.
However, nearly eight-in-10 drivers (78%) think that electric vehicles are still too expensive when compared to conventional vehicles of a similar model size or specification.
The implications of the coronavirus on UK car consumers have been also been understandably impacted, with only 11% expecting to upgrade to another vehicle in the next 12 months, a sharp fall on 14% recorded in 2019 and 18% a year earlier, the report states.
Fifty-three per cent of respondents said they would like to see VAT on zero-emission vehicles either slashed or abolished entirely, with 48% favouring some sort of scrappage scheme to make switching from traditional combustion or hybrid engines to purely battery-electric models more affordable.
Three-in-10 motorists (30%) favour an increase to the current Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) of £1,000, taking it up to £4,000, according to the report.
There are also understandable concerns from motorists who use on-street parking regarding the likelihood of being able to charge their electric vehicles, with 43% of respondents say they want the Government to set a national target for access to public charge points.
One example would be ensuring 95% of the UK population live no further than five miles from the nearest charge point with 28% of those surveyed believe the price of charging at public chargers should be capped.
RAC data insight spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With 2030 now clearly set as the date for the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, momentum behind getting more of us into electric vehicles is building – and it’s clear that an increasing proportion of drivers are responding, with nearly one-in-10 now planning to opt for a pure electric next time they change their car.
“If the Government really wants to stimulate demand for electric vehicles quickly, then it either has to boost the Plug-in Car Grant or remove, or cut, VAT for a fixed period of time.
“A healthy market for new electric cars in the UK will also have another major benefit – it will mean more EVs make their way onto the second-hand market, improving affordability of zero-emission models for everyone,” Dennis added.
Keyword: Nearly 80% of drivers think that purely electric cars are too expensive