Kiwis' interest in BEVs slips
Consumer interest in purchasing vehicles has dropped in New Zealand, according to a global study by the consulting and accounting giant EY.
Of the Kiwis surveyed by the company, 12 per cent said they would consider a battery electric vehicle (BEV) for their next car purchase. This was down two per cent from a year earlier.
More than 20 per cent of respondents in the United States said they would contemplate buying a BEV when it was time to change cars, which was up 15 per cent year-on-year and the biggest increase of the nations surveyed.
Car buyers in Norway, China, Singapore, India, Sweden, South Korea and Austria were the most likely to consider a BEV, while the global average came in at 20 per cent of consumers, reports Automotive News.
The 2023 EY Mobility Consumer Index included responses from 15,000 people worldwide who were quizzed in March and April this year.
More than half of consumers globally said they would consider an electrified vehicle, which includes plug-ins and hybrids, and nearly 90 per cent of respondents said they would pay a premium for EVs, which was up from 80 per cent a year earlier.
High fuel costs emerged as the top motivation in the EY study for purchasing an EV, but nearly one-third of respondents said they were concerned about a shortage of charging stations.
Randy Miller, EY’s global advanced manufacturing and mobility leader, says: “Collaboration between manufacturers, energy companies and governments at all levels is going to be essential in order to meet the needs of EV drivers hitting the roads, otherwise, the move to EVs will surely stall.”
He adds that range anxiety was a less prominent concern on the index compared with previous years. As battery range continues to improve, more consumers will consider EVs, Miller suggests.
Consumers’ willingness to buy a BEV
Country Likely Change from 2022
Norway 42% +11%
China 40% +3%
Singapore 30% +14%
India 27% -1%
Sweden 25% +4%
S Korea 24% -8%
Austria 23% NC
US 22% +15%
Spain 21% +4%
Italy 21% -2%
Netherlands 20% NC
Germany 20% -2%
UK 19% NC
Canada 18% +3%
NZ 12% -4%
France 11% -2%
Australia 11% -2%
Mexico 10% +1%
Brazil 9% NC
Japan 6% +1%
NC – No change
