10 Jun 2024
Half of motorists (50%) say the government should do more to make electric cars affordable, new research shows.
June’s new Startline Used Car Tracker also finds that 35% believe action should be taken to make electric cars easier to buy, 34% that more money should go into making chargers more widely available, and 26% that power from chargers should be cheaper.
If there was more government support, 29% of motorists say that it’s more likely their next car would be electric. Conversely, just 4% report that their next car will be electric whatever the government does.
Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “The research shows that there is a ready market for electric cars but that cost is a worry for motorists – whether that means buying the vehicle, getting a charger, or paying for the power needed – and they want financial help to make the move away from petrol and diesel.
“It appears there is a definite feeling out there that the government could do more to support people who want to make the switch to electric, something that echoes comments made by motor manufacturers and trade bodies in recent months.
“This perhaps isn’t really a key issue for most voters but it’ll be interesting to see whether any action is taken in this area by whoever gains power at the general election, which will take place within a few months.”
The Startline Used Car Tracker also shows that 12% of people say there is no incentive the government could offer to make them buy an electric car, while 11% believe that the government is doing enough already to support the electric car market.
Paul said: “These figures are interesting in themselves. From the media, you could get the impression that there is widespread resistance to the idea of buying an electric car but the research shows that only about one in 10 people feel that way.”
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, 301 consumers and 58 dealers were questioned.