According to research, nine in ten motorists who’ve already made the switch to an electric vehicle say they won’t be buying a petrol or diesel car again.
With more extended ranges from the latest models and enhancing charging infrastructure, EV motorists say they’re able to complete trips over larger distances, with a quarter saying they’ve used their battery cars for a single drive in excess of 300 miles.
Zap-Map says the study provided substantial proof of an ongoing transformation in consumer attitudes towards EV’s and that those who plump for electric in the New Year won’t regret it.
However, a different report by Auto Trader said the United Kingdom risks being starved of affordable electric vehicles following the Government’s decision last month to slash grants towards their purchases, the second time in 12 months that it’s decreased the subsidy towards new battery models.
The charging app surveyed 3,306 electric car owners, one of the largest polls of early adopters, before the end of last year.
The study discovered that 91 per cent of drivers are incredibly satisfied with their EV and eight per cent said they would consider returning to a car powered by fossil fuels.
Less than one per cent of those polled were adamant they would revert back to owning a petrol or diesel motor.
Zap-Map said the poll results were quite similar to those of last year, indicating that this year’s inflow of new EV drivers were as happy with their decision to make the switch to electric as their 2020 counterparts.
Many of the respondents to the survey were indeed first time EV drivers. More than 48 per cent of respondents said that their existing vehicle was their first EV, with 28 per cent making the purchase in the previous 12 months.
Much of the positive reinforcement was around low running costs and improving driving ranges.
Drivers were asked in the survey about the furthest distance they’ve journeyed in an EV in a single trip.
More than half of the respondents, 53 per cent, said they’ve driven more than 200 miles in their EV in a single trip.
According to the Department for Transport, the figures shows that motorists are habitually using their EV’s on more extended trips, and should put to bed concerns over the range of EV’s, at least for the average driver, given that the average car trip in the United Kingdom was only 8.4 miles in 2019.
But try charging one of these vehicles in a row of terraced houses. It’s difficult enough to get a parking space, let alone charge up a car without stumbling over the cable across the path, although, hopefully, that will change in the end with local councils putting in charging posts within residential neighbourhoods.
However, a lot of people live in mid-terraced houses and flats and some don’t even have designated parking spaces, or they’re 200 metres from their property, so wouldn’t have the ability to charge their EV’s, it would just be a non-starter for these people.
And don’t forget it takes under five minutes to fill your car up with petrol or diesel, but who has an hour or so to spare to fast charge their EV?
EV’s are fine for most people in urban or rural areas, but they’re really no good for long journeys. An EV that has a 150-mile range, and does 100 mpg around town is absolutely fine for approximately 70-80 per cent of people and 99 per cent of their situations.
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