Here at ChooseMyCar, we decided to find out how people were feeling about fuel costs and whether it was affecting their driving decisions. There’s some interesting findings to come, but one thing we discovered is that almost 50 percent of Britain’s car owners will choose to buy an electric vehicle as their next car.
We asked 2,000 motorists whether recent fluctuations in fuel costs and shortages had affected their buying habits. The results showed that a huge amount – 42 percent – now planned to purchase an electric vehicle as their next car, despite the higher purchase costs and less availability of second hand EVs.
Interestingly, men were more likely to buy an EV than women, with 46 percent of males stating that their next vehicle would definitely be electric, and 38 percent of females.
Age of driver also affected the results, with a sharp increase in plans for an EV in the younger demographic. UK drivers in the 18-34 year old age group felt most strongly about buying an EV, with a staggering 66 percent saying they would definitely make their next vehicle electric, while in the 35-54 year age group, 49 percent stated that an EV was their next car purchase. In the other 55 age group, only 20 percent said they would be purchasing an EV.
More findings from the report included:
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- London drivers were the most likely to buy an EV next, with 60% saying that would be their next vehicle purchase
- This was followed by Brighton, with 48%, Edinburgh with 44%, and Birmingham and Liverpool with 43%
- Bristol and Plymouth were the cities least likely to buy an EV next, with just 15% saying they would buy electric next
Our founder, Nick Zapolski, isn’t surprised by the results.
“We have been doing a lot of research on how UK drivers have been affected by recent events, and the younger age group appears to have been the one that has found it hardest to manage the spiralling prices.
“While EVs are obviously a good choice for many, with the starting price still being close to five figures, many will struggle to afford a new EV and the second hand market is still very limited.
“It seems very unfair that the very people that need EVs the most, and who have the strongest desire for one, might be priced out of the market for one.”
