Range anxiety still exists

Around two-thirds of drivers who don’t have electric vehicles (EVs) say they will still not be making the switch any time soon. 

That’s according to a survey conducted by UK-based Refused Car Finance, which shows a substantial number of customers saying they will not consider an electric car as their next purchase.

While EVs are heavily promoted to be better for the environment and cheaper to run, but research suggests such incentives are not enough for British drivers to make the switch. 

The main concerns for this group of motorists are EVs’ sticker prices, single-charge mileage and the availability of charging points. The surveys’ results included:

• 61 per cent of respondents being concerned about range and that they would spend more time recharging their EV than driving it. 

• When asked what they thought the average mileage would be for an electric car in 2024, 40 per cent replied in the 291-386km range.

• Out of those surveyed who already own an EV, 66.7 per cent were happy with their EV purchase, and said owning petrol and diesel vehicles makes no sense to them anymore.

The purpose of the survey conducted by the bad credit car-finance broker Refused Car Finance was to get an idea of how drivers currently feel about buying and owning EVs. 

While the UK’s 2035 petrol and diesel car ban is still sometime away, the company believes it’s inevitable drivers will have to invest in an electric car at some point in the future. However, its research suggests some Brits are still not yet ready to adopt zero-emissions vehicles.