Calls for more reliable chargers as one in four say their next car will be an EV

A new survey, conducted by the vehicle charging brand CTEK, has revealed that one in four drivers in the UK want to buy an EV or plug in hybrid as their next car.

The study, which included owners of vehicles with Internal Combusion Engines (ICEs) like petrol and diesel models along with EVs, also found that 12 percent plan on buying a new electric model, whilst only nine percent intend to buy a new ICE car.

These results follow increasing sales figures for EV sales, with 31,700 electric cars sold in the UK during June 2023, 17.9 percent of the market. 

Cecilia Routledge, CTEK’s Global Director of Energy and Facilities, described the findings of the survey.

She said: “Our annual YouGov survey shows a strong demand from both existing EV owners and ICE drivers to buy electric as their next vehicle – both new and used.”

However, the study also shows the fears that many UK motorists have surrounding electric vehicles.

Most notably, 83 percent of those surveyed said they believe the UK’s charging infrastrucure is not enough, with 52 percent of EV owners stating they typically have to wait to charge their vehicle at least one in four times.

In addition, the survey revealed that nearly half of EV owners have encountered broken public chargers one in four times, with a shocking six percent said they almost always encounter broken charging points.

Cecilia highlighted the need for better charging infrastructure that can handle the increased amount of EVs on the road.

She added: “If EV ownership expands in line with our survey results there must be many more additional opportunities to charge at distinations, workplaces, car parks and on highways. And they must work and the charging be easier to pay for.

“What should excite everyone in the charging sector, in the UK Government, in energy generation and at transmission authorities is how open UK people are to the idea of Vehicle to Grid (V2G) flows of power to reduce peak demand and help us on the road to net zero.”

However, the survey wasn’t all bad news for electric vehicles, with 71 percent of those who already own an EV saying they will buy another as their next car.

What’s more, 56 percent of EV owners also said that, if their vehicle and home charger was capable, they would sell their battery’s electricity back to the national grid to save money.

To encourage more people to go electric, 54 percent of ICE vehicle drivers said they would like more chargers on the motorway network, with 59 percent wanting lower purchase prices.