Mass EV adoption 'some way off'

Date: 9/3/2011

It could still be some time before a wide-scale adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is witnessed in the UK, according to one group.

A new study by Deloitte found that compared to their European counterparts, consumers in the UK are more willing to make the additional financial investment that is required to buy an electric car.

However, despite increasing fuel costs across the continent, only 16 per cent of Europeans think they would make the first move to buy or lease an EV, although 53 per cent revealed they would consider it.

Meanwhile, 31 per cent claimed they are unlikely to think about making such an investment in an electric car, with charging it, the vehicle's driving range and the cost of powering it all found to be key factors in the decision of whether or not to make this commitment.

David Raistrick, Automotive Partner and Head of Manufacturing at Deloitte UK, said: "Three-quarters of European consumers surveyed said that before they would consider purchasing an EV, they would expect it to be able to travel 300 miles between charges - much higher than what is currently available."

Because of this, he urged manufacturers that there are specific design targets they much achieve before they will start enticing more buyers.

HPI recently revealed that while more families purchasing used cars are looking for something that is fuel efficient, demand for EVs was not as strong.

Posted by Nick Anderson