One in five motorists plan to go all-electric

More than one in five drivers now say their next car will be all-electric – overtaking diesel and hybrid buying intentions for the first time – shooting EVs into second place as motorists’ preferred power option.

The findings are especially significant because they come from the mainstream car market, rather than an audience specifically interested in electric vehicles. The researchers say interest from mainstream motorists is now only marginally trailing that of existing EV enthusiasts.

DrivingElectric.com has also detected a shift in buyers’ minds away from the classic selling points of fuel cost savings and 'early adopter' interest, focusing more on practicalities such as the enhanced boot space many EVs offer.

Two years ago, just 10% of drivers named electric as their preferred power option, compared with 26% for diesel, 43% for petrol and hybrids taking third place, on 14%. But EVs have now shot up to 22%, with diesel sliding to 19%, hybrids falling to 16% and petrol also significantly down at 37%.

“This is a big moment for the EV market, with electric cars poised to become the second most popular type on the road,” Vicky Parrott, Associate Editor of DrivingElectric.com, said. “We’re now seeing a breakthrough in the perceptions of electric vehicles, from a niche phenomenon to a genuinely mainstream choice.

“The views of car-buyers are clearly maturing as electric vehicles become more common. This means that the original chief selling points of EVs, such as very low running costs, are now being tempered by more traditional considerations around practicality, style, infotainment and comfort.”