Newslink January 2022

News / Comment
Customers love their electrics!
New survey finds motorists
who have switched to electric
cars are overwhelmingly
happy with their choice
and will never go back to
petrol and diesel
Zap-Map, one of the UK’s most popular
electric vehicle (EV) charging apps, has
released the results of a new survey of
EV drivers across the country – and they
show strong evidence of a continuing
shift in consumer attitudes towards
electric vehicles.
Not only do they show that those who
plump for electric in the New Year won’t
regret it, but they also suggest that EV
drivers are increasingly confident about
driving long distances.
Indeed, the Zap-Map poll has revealed
that more than 90 per cent of drivers are
extremely happy with their EV and
would not want to replace it with a petrol
or diesel car.
The data highlights the positive impact
of EVs on drivers who have benefited
from a great driving experience, low
running costs and low emissions.
Fewer than one per cent wanted a
return to a petrol or diesel vehicle.
Tellingly, the results are remarkably
similar to those of last year’s Zap-Map
survey, indicating that this year’s influx of
new EV drivers are as pleased with their
decision to make the switch to electric as
their 2020 counterparts. Many of the
respondents to the survey were first-time
EV drivers. More than 48 per cent of
respondents said that their current
vehicle was their first EV, with 28 per
cent making the purchase in 2020.
In parallel, driver satisfaction was
notably higher for both battery-electric
and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with EV
drivers reporting a satisfaction score of
91 out of 100 (battery-electric 92,
plug-in hybrid 84), compared with only
74 for petrol or diesel vehicle ownership.
This year, for the first time, drivers
were also asked about the furthest
distance they have travelled in an EV in a
single journey.
The majority of the respondents (53
per cent) said they have driven more
than 200 miles in their EV in a single
trip. The figure shows that drivers are
habitually using their EVs on longer trips,
and should put to bed concerns over the
range of EVs, at least for the average
driver, given that the average car journey
in the UK was just 8.4 miles in 2019.
Furthermore, almost a quarter of
respondents (24 per cent) said they have
driven more than 300 miles in one trip
– with over seven per cent doing the long
haul and driving more than 500 miles in
a single journey. For around 31 per cent,
between 101 and 200 miles was their
longest trip in an EV, while for 15 per
cent it was fewer than 100 miles.
The results of Zap-Map’s poll come at
a time of record-breaking sales for the EV
industry. The latest figures show that
sales of battery-electric vehicles
accounted for almost 19 per cent of all
new car sales in November, a growth of
110 per cent compared with November
2020 when the figure was 9 per cent.
The poll – which was carried out in
November 2021 and gained more than
3,000 responses from Zap-Map’s
engaged community of EV drivers – is
part of the company’s annual EV
charging survey, the most established
and comprehensive survey of EV drivers
in the UK.
‘‘
Driver satisfaction was high - at
91 per cent for battery electric
and plug-in hybrid models,
compared with 74 per cent for
those still running petrol or
diesel vehicles...
‘‘
The survey provides strong evidence of
a high level of satisfaction for EVs, with
those making the switch to electric
clearly not regretting their decision. The
only question remaining is whether you’ll
be one of those EV drivers next year.
Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said:
“These survey results show that drivers
are becoming increasingly confident in
making the switch to electric vehicles
and I hope this data encourages others
to consider going electric as we work
towards the UK’s net-zero targets.
“We’ve committed £2.5bn to
accelerate the rollout of zero emission
vehicles and charging infrastructure
across the country, ensuring the
transition is as simple as possible for
motorists, as we take steps towards a
greener transport future.”
Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder &
COO at Zap-Map, said: “As we move
from the early adopters into mass EV
adoption, the evidence in favour of
electric vehicles grows more compelling
every year. This poll certainly give
prospective EV buyers something to think
about in 2022. For the second year
running we’ve seen that those who make
the switch to electric simply don’t look
back. It’s also clear from the distances
EV drivers have travelled that concerns
over range and other historical challenges
of owning and running an EV are
increasingly a thing of the past.
“As the EV market continues to grow,
alongside the charging infrastructure that
supports it, Zap-Map’s focus is on
making the EV charging experience
simple, by providing the ability to search,
plan and pay all in one app.”
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NEWSLINK n JANUARY 2022