With electric cars on the rise, are UK drivers ready to make the change?

It doesn’t seem too long ago that conversation was building around the possibility of electric cars making their way onto UK roads. Although many people thought this idea was just a fantasy, car giants such as Tesla, have now made this a reality. The government recently announced that they would be injecting £10 million into the production of electric cars, which goes to show the impact these vehicles could have in years to come.

For car manufacturers wanting to produce electric cars, they have recently been able to take a huge step towards this goal, as the government has introduced a ban on the production of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035; which has been brought forward from the original date of 2040.

With this big announcement having a huge impact on the motor industry, LeaseCar UK wanted to find out what UK drivers thought about the possibility of owning an electric car. They surveyed 400 British drivers to get a better understanding of the matter and below are some of the results.

What is the current fossil fuel situation in the UK?

According to LeaseCar’s survey, petrol cars are currently leading the way for the amount of drivers owning these vehicles. 59% of respondents said they currently own a petrol fuelled car, with 25% driving a diesel engine. The most surprising result from this question was that only 7% of drivers own a hybrid car and a miniscule 3% own an electric car. These figures alone go to show just how much the car industry is going to change over the coming decades, as the majority of car brands transition over to electric operated vehicles.

What factors would make you opt for an electric car?

For some drivers, it’s going to take some convincing to purchase an electric car anytime soon. As part of the survey, respondents were asked what it would take to switch from fossil fuel to electric, with the majority of answers surrounding money. 70% of the people surveyed said they would be inclined to buy an electric car, if it proved to be cheaper than a vehicle which has a petrol or diesel engine. Similarly, 62% of respondents said they would be tempted by an electric car, if the running costs and tax were considerably lower than what they are currently paying.

What puts you off the idea of going electric?

Looking at the results of the survey, it’s clear that a large number of UK drivers are cautious about the prospect of owning an electric car. When LeaseCar looked at this in detail, it appears there are a number of main factors which need to be looked at, before electric cars are more commonly used on UK roads. 70% of drivers said they were put off by the cost associated with electric cars, which again goes to show that money is at the top of the list. 65% said they were worried by the lack of charging points available across the country and 21% saying a lack of knowledge is what would deter them from going electric.

Some of the findings from LeaseCar’s survey were rather interesting. As it stands, it looks like the costs associated with purchasing an electric car and the lack of knowledge surrounding them is what’s stopping many UK drivers from making the switch. Hopefully as the government and car manufacturers build noise around electric cars and their benefits, more and more drivers will feel comfortable in making the change.

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