Greater than half (54%) of UK automotive consumers are contemplating an electrical car as their subsequent automotive, in keeping with new knowledge from EY’s newest Mobility Client Index.
This is a rise from 49% final yr and better than the 41% of potential consumers contemplating an Inner Combustion Engine (ICE) car.
Nonetheless, the UK’s year-on-year development in desire towards EVs outpaces its uptick in general car-buying intent (which has grown from 44% to 45%), additional emphasising the rising dominance of EVs throughout UK client demand.
UK EV car-buying intent is broadly consistent with the common throughout different main auto markets (55%).
The UK’s development in EV shopping for intent was pushed by will increase in recognition for plug-in hybrid electrical autos (PHEVs) and hybrids, with each seeing a rise in shopping for intent of three share factors in 2023.
Shopping for intent for Battery Electrical Autos (BEVs) in the meantime remained unchanged from 2022, with 19% of respondents saying they’re possible to purchase one.
Comparatively, 10% mentioned they’re prone to go for a PHEV, whereas 25% mentioned they’re anticipating to buy a hybrid.
Excessive gas costs, rising environmental considerations, and penalties on Inner Combustion Engine (ICE) autos emerged as the important thing motivators for potential EV consumers.
The 41% of UK respondents indicating their intent to purchase an ICE car was down marginally from 42% in 2022, and considerably down on 2021’s determine of fifty%. The UK’s 2023 determine nonetheless stays barely above ICE car-buying intent within the different nations featured within the survey (38%), which is down from 41% in 2022.
Total car-buying intent fell from 45% in 2022 to 44% in 2023 throughout the twenty nations included within the survey.
The survey collects views from 15,000 respondents throughout 20 of the automotive sector’s high nations.
David Borland, EY UK & Eire automotive chief, mentioned: “The UK auto business continues to exhibit resilience to the numerous headwinds it has confronted in recent times, together with the pandemic, the warfare in Ukraine, provide chain disruption, unstable power costs and price of residing challenges.
“Demand continues to show sturdy restoration, with Might 2023 being the tenth consecutive month of development for passenger automotive gross sales.
“This was backed up by the survey findings, with a rise within the variety of customers preferring a private automotive versus automotive sharing, which is a development from the pandemic that continues to stay.
“The survey additionally highlights the continued demand from customers for various powertrain applied sciences that aren’t utterly reliant on public charging infrastructure.”
Price and comfort prioritised by customers
Whereas EV shopping for intent within the UK has proven encouraging indicators of development within the final yr in keeping with EY’s newest Mobility Client Index, the report additionally highlights a number of key the explanation why some customers are nonetheless being deterred from making the change.
Of these to specific considerations round EVs, 37% mentioned they have been deterred by a scarcity of charging stations presently in place.
The second-most important issue dissuading UK respondents from making the EV transition was the substantial upfront value of EVs, with 36% deeming value a key concern, whereas restricted EV vary (27%), and costly charging/operating prices (26%) have been additionally cited.
Sixty-four per cent of respondents indicated that 200-300 miles could be a suitable driving vary for an EV.
Forty-nine per cent, in the meantime, have been drawn to mid-range EVs, and 29% indicated their desire for premium EVs, regardless of the numerous proportion of these delay from shopping for an EV on account of substantial upfront prices.
With a selected deal with public chargers, respondents once more positioned comfort and price amongst their high priorities.
Fifty-one per cent of respondents recognized difficulties finding chargers as a high problem, whereas 47% mentioned the costly value of charging was a number one drawback.
Forty per cent additionally displayed a insecurity within the reliability of public chargers, citing non-functional chargers as a number one concern.
The significance of charging infrastructure at non-public properties, at workplaces and on streets close to properties is very important, with 89% of UK survey respondents saying they would like to cost their EVs at one in every of these places.
Affordability provisions might must be put in place to speed up the UK’s EV transition, with 54% of these expressing considerations about at-home chargers stating excessive electrical energy payments have been a serious concern, whereas 44% mentioned they have been deterred by excessive set up prices.
Regardless of the continued challenges going through EV infrastructure, client confidence continues to extend, with 90% of UK EV house owners presently out there for a car saying they’d purchase one other EV, up from 87% in 2022.
Maria Bengtsson, electrical car lead at EY UK, mentioned: “EV shopping for intent continues to extend within the UK, as customers place a higher deal with sustainability and attitudes in the direction of EVs enhance.
“These findings from our newest Mobility Client Index are additionally backed up by the current development in EV gross sales within the UK, with Battery Electrical Car (BEV) gross sales up 60% year-on-year in Might.
“Nonetheless, charging evidently stays a big concern for potential EV consumers, each in relation to availability and price.
“Whereas it’s clear that the variety of chargers throughout the UK might want to improve considerably, it is usually crucial to make sure that charging capability is on the market the place EV drivers want it.
“This, in flip, shouldn’t be solely concerning the bodily chargers being in the proper locations, however it is usually about making certain details about the place they’re situated, their availability, and particulars of required fee strategies, are all simply and shortly accessible to EV drivers.
“With customers nonetheless experiencing a scarcity of interoperability, the client expertise should even be improved and simplified if we’re to see sustained, important development in EV confidence amongst customers to match the UK Authorities’s decarbonisation targets.”
