• 56% say grants or loans are needed from the new Labour government to support the used electric vehicle (EV) market
• 50% want cheaper electricity for EVs and 45% massively increased presence of on-street charging points
• 42% would like tariffs to protect the existing car market against Chinese competition, shows August’s new Startline Used Car Tracker

August’s Startline Used Car Tracker shows 56% would back the move - followed by 50% who want cheaper electricity for EV drivers and 45% who want to see massively increased on-street charging to make EVs more viable.

Tariffs or other measures on Chinese EVs to protect the existing car market are popular at 42% while the same percentage also wants to see more training options to improve the availability of skilled people in the sector.

Just over a third (35%) would like to see a government approved and administered used battery EV health check, 31% an improvement in the economy to inspire consumer confidence and 23% lower business rates.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “The list of measures that dealers say they would like the new Labour government to deliver in our research are dominated by the issue of electrification, which is an indication of the deep concern they are feeling.

“It’s interesting that the top factor is some kind of direct help with buying an electric car, whether that is some kind of grant or cheap loan. Essentially, dealers think that the EV market needs some form of subsidy for consumers to be comfortable going electric.”

He added that it was interesting that only 35% of dealers wanted to see the introduction of some form of government-backed battery health check.

“We’ve asked this question of consumers this month and almost nine out of 10 say having a detailed picture of a used EV’s battery health would be an important part of any purchase. It is also a commitment in the Labour manifesto, so is very likely to happen.

“It’s also noteworthy that training for the motor industry is so high up the list. Getting hold of people with the right skills remains a very real issue for dealers, and they would clearly like to see the new government help solve this problem.”

The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly for Startline Motor Finance by APD Global Research, well-known in the motor industry for their business intelligence reporting and customer experience programs. This time, 321 consumers and 62 dealers were questioned.