Most UK drivers to delay buying an electric car for a decade, study suggests

"Confusing" car tech and anxiety over lack of infrastructure is stopping consumers from ditching petrol and diesel

Most UK drivers to delay buying an electric car for a decade, study suggests
The average driver will wait nine years before ditching petrol and diesel power for an electric or hybrid alternative.

UK motorists are holding off from buying an electric car for almost a decade, a new study has suggested.

A study of more than 1,000 British motorists by car sales site Auto Trader found that the average driver will wait nine years before they will ditch petrol and diesel power in favour of an electric or hybrid car.

Just 26 per cent of those questioned said they would consider an electric vehicle next time they change their car.

Anxiety over the lack of charging infrastructure in the UK remains one of the main reasons drivers won’t be buying an electric vehicle anytime soon, while 55 per cent also admitted to finding electric car technology “confusing”.

Auto Trader has said that almost four in ten consumers (38 per cent) are unaware of the government’s policy for electric cars, while 74 per cent don’t know that the government offers grants for buyers of electric and plug-in hybrid cars.

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The future?

Erin Baker, Auto Trader’s editorial director, said: “There’s no doubt that electric cars are the future, however our research indicates that there are still significant barriers to adoption, with greater investment in infrastructure and technology needed.

“It’s also crucial that car manufacturers and the government alike ensure that language to describe electric cars is clear and accessible, rather than laden with technological jargon that consumers may find alienating.”

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