CTEK & YouGov survey reveals reducing barriers to electric motoring

A YouGov survey out today, conducted on behalf of CTEK, a leading global brand in vehicle charging, reveals that barriers to electric motoring are becoming less pronounced, as public and destination charging facilities start to step up to meet growing demand.  

Click here to go to the report page 

EV charging 

The survey reveals that, although lack of charging infrastructure remains an issue, it is becoming less of a concern, with the percentage of respondents feeling there is not enough infrastructure to meet growing demand for EV charging down from 70% to 62% year on year. Concern over charging infrastructure remains highest in the UK (71%) and is lowest in Norway (49%). However in the Netherlands, where lack of charging infrastructure was lowest last year, concern is up slightly from 51% to 53%. 

Just under half (45%) of respondents are concerned about a lack of EV roaming, which allows drivers to charge and pay using different providers. Driving range is becoming less of an issue, with vehicle manufacturers continually improving the distance an EV can drive on one charge, but more than half of (56%) of respondents still have ‘range anxiety’.  

However, this varies quite dramatically between countries, and it would appear that range anxiety and lack of EV roaming go hand in hand. Range anxiety is highest in France (69%) where there is also the highest level of frustration with lack of EV roaming (63%), and lowest in The Netherlands where only 37% have range anxiety and only 28% are concerned about lack of EV roaming. 

The survey also reveals a slight shift towards out-of-home charging, with 59% of current EV owners charging at home, compared with 66% in 2021. For those charging out of home, 28% are charging at work (up from 21% in 2021), 19% at shopping centres, 15% at a hotel or restaurant, 17% at petrol stations (up from 14% in 2021), 11% at hotels, 9% at restaurants and 9% at a designated parking garage (down from 13% in 2021).  

EV ownership 

With the escalating cost of living, it’s hardly surprising that financial considerations are becoming increasingly important. More than a third (34%) of EV owners and drivers give lower running costs as their favourite thing about EV ownership and also the main reason for purchase. The second biggest reason for EV purchase is concern for the environment (25%), and is more of a concern for females (30%) than males (22%). A further 18% of drivers give obtaining a vehicle subsidy as their main reason for purchase, although this was the number one reason in Germany (27%). 

Almost half (47%) of respondents agree that electric motoring is the future of road travel. Motorists in the UK and The Netherlands are the most positive, with 55% of motorists saying that electric motoring is the future of road travel. Overall, only 18% disagree.   

Buying an EV 

More than a third (35%) said they would be likely to buy an EV in the future, and 33% are likely to buy a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle. 

For non-EV drivers, the cost of the vehicle remains the biggest barrier to buying an EV (25%), with this being highest in the Netherlands (33%) and lower in Norway (12%) and Germany (15%). Purchase price is a bigger issue in the 25-34 age group (30%) and lowest in the 55+ group (22%). It is also highest for people working part time (32%) and for full time students (32%).  

When it comes to reasons to make the switch to electric motoring, 39% of non-EV drivers said that subsidies to make the vehicle more affordable would be an incentive, 37% are attracted by lower electricity/running costs and 31% want better access to EV charging points. The UK has noticeably higher percentages for subsidy (49%), running costs (44%) and access to charging points (40%). 

Just under half (46%) of non EV drivers said they would be more likely to buy an EV if they had charging available at their workplace (rising to 62% among former EV owners), 38% if there was public charging infrastructure in their street or neighborhood, and 28% if they had a charger installed at home. 

The survey also highlighted a need for clear, consistent information about EVs and EV charging, to help drivers cut through the mountains of, sometimes conflicting, information that’s out there. Almost a third (30%) of drivers said they were confused by all the information available on EVs, 22% said they wouldn’t know where to go to find out about EVs, and 13% of drivers said that knowing more about EVs and how they work would encourage them to purchase one.  

Cecilia Routledge, Global Director Energy & Facilities for CTEK, said:  

”The CTEK/YouGov survey shows how attitudes to electric vehicles are changing for the better and gives us a true insight into the incentives and barriers to EV ownership. It is encouraging to see that concern over EV infrastructure is reducing, as public and destination charging expands to meet growing demand.  

”The expanded EV charging infrastructure is encouraging increased EV ownership, particularly amongst drivers with nowhere to install a home charger, and this signals the start of mass market adoption, where there will be less reliance on domestic charging, and reduced range and charger anxiety overall.  

”The increase in out-of-home charging also shows how workplaces, commercial businesses and public bodies can invest in future EV charging facilities, which not only adds considerably to the charging infrastructure, but also provides additional revenue opportunities for the organisations involved. 

”It’s also encouraging to see that, even though the increasing cost of living is causing people to cut back on spending, there is still considerable appetite for electric vehicles. With escalating pump prices, and even with the rising cost of electricity, EVs still provide a cost effective way of motoring, as well as helping to secure a cleaner environment for generations to come.” 

Here are some other interesting facts and figures from the survey

• Male ownership is slightly higher than female ownership for both EVs (9% against 5%) and PHEV’s (6% against 4%). 
• Just over a quarter (26%) of EV owners and drivers use their vehicles once a day or more, while only 2% drive them less than once a month. 
• 19% of EV owners charge their vehicles once or more a day, 26% charge two to three times a week, 18% four to six times a week, 18% once a week, 7% once a fortnight, 3% once a month and 2% less than once a month.  
• Driving range (16%) and purchase price (11%) are the least favourite things about EV ownership.  
• Only 23% of respondents believe that EVs lose their value more than petrol and diesel powered vehicles, while 14% disagree.