Around two-thirds of non-EV drivers say they will still not be switching to an electric car any time soon.

This recent survey was conducted by Refused Car Finance.

The purpose was to get an idea of how drivers currently feel about buying and owning electric cars. With the 2035 petrol and diesel car ban still a while off, it’s inevitable drivers will have to invest in an electric car at some point in the near future.

Lack of confidence

Consumers who did not already own an EV were asked whether they would consider an electric car.  A vast majority of those surveyed said they would not.

Electric cars are heavily promoted to be better for the environment, cheaper to run and improve fuel efficiency. However, the survey suggests these incentives are not enough for UK drivers to make the switch.

The main concerns for this group of drivers were the initial cost of buying an EV. This was followed by the mileage capacity of EVs and the availability of charging points in the UK.

Unpalatable numbers

When buying a brand-new EV, the cost to buy can be higher than other models. This is because  they use newer, more expensive technology and also are produced in smaller numbers.

However, consumers do have the ability to spread the cost of an EV with finance (if they are eligible). There is also the option of purchasing a second-hand EVs, a market that is growing quickly.

61% of drivers surveyed were concerned about the electric range of EVs. There was concern that it would result in spending more time recharging their vehicle than driving it.

When asked what they thought the average mileage capacity would be for an electric car in 2024, 40% said between 181 and 240 miles. This actually happens to be pretty accurate and shows many motorists are following developments.

In 2024, the average mileage of an EV is around 211 miles, but can be make/model dependent.

Fuelling up

Drivers were also worried about the lack of electric car charging points across the UK. There is concern over not being able to reach a charger before their mileage ran out.

Currently, there are over 53,000 charging points available in the UK, but many drivers are still not convinced it is enough. To help encourage more drivers to adopt an EVs and the country to reach their Net Zero targets, the UK government aims to have 300,000 charging points in place by 2030.

The UK needs to be Net Zero by 2050.

Try it and see

Out of the customers surveyed who already owned an EV, 66.7% of those said they were happy with their electric car purchase. They add that petrol and diesel options making no sense to them anymore.

In their opinion, the biggest selling point of their EV are low running costs, zero emissions and a better driving experience.

But is it best to buy now and get ahead of the game? This research suggests some UK drivers are still not yet ready to adopt a zero-emission vehicle.