It’s revealed that 43% of drivers think the UK will NEVER be ready to switch to electric cars – and their reasons why

ALMOST half of Brits say they will never be ready to switch to electric cars according to a new survey – and these are their reasons why.

Rivervale Leasing surveyed 2,000 people to find out their opinions on how ready the UK is for electric vehicles, their biggest concerns and which type of car they’ll want when the 2030 deadline comes.

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It comes after the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales means the country’s future is an all-electric one.

But a whopping 43% don’t believe that the UK will ever be ready to make the switch to electric cars.

Meanwhile, only 16% think we are prepared enough to reach the 2030 deadline. 

18% think that we will be ready 10 years after the target date and 23% even believe that it’ll take until 2050 before we’re completely equipped.

Vince Pemberton, Chief executive officer at Rivervale Leasing admits, “It’s not the strongest environment at the moment for buyer confidence.

“There might be a higher upfront cost in going electric but the longer-term saving is substantial. I don’t think this is made clear enough.”

The initial purchase continues to be an obstruction for many, as 20.11% say buying an electric car is still too expensive. 

Interestingly, 12.09% think that used petrol and diesel vehicles will still be more desirable to drivers, indicating that many people won’t switch because we prefer to stick with what we know.

And Pemberton also believes that rocketing fuel costs among other factors have affected buying.

He continues: “If you’re lucky enough to have a driveway or off-road parking with access to charge points, even better.

“There are apps that control when you’re charging – you can do it overnight when tariffs are lowest. My car probably costs between £10 and £12 to fully charge.

“That gets me around 220miles. A diesel tank on an average family car gets you 400miles, but sets you back about £85… And it won’t be long before we’re seeing EVs with an equivalent range to petrol and diesel. It’s coming.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the future of electric cars in the UK.

Fortunately, there still are plenty of drivers preparing for the 2030 deadline.

Research shows that the UK is happy to make a gradual change, as just over a third said that they would opt for a new hybrid car in 2030.

And more and more people are switching to a new electric car every year with EVs take up 20.8% of the market share for new car registrations.

Statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that in mid-2022, there are approximately 826,500 more new electric cars registered in the UK, compared to 2016.

Everything you need to know about electric cars