Nearly half of UK homeowners would consider paving over their front garden to make space for charging an electric vehicle.
New research by EO Charging found that 49 percent of the 2,000 respondents surveyed would remove gardens and lawns to make EV charging at home easier.
Despite this, more than half (53 percent) of those asked believe the trend for turning front gardens into parking spaces needs to be addressed.
Home charging concerns
In further findings from the survey, 13 percent of respondents said they already have an electric car. Londoners were most likely to be EV owners, with 29 percent of those from the capital having taken the plunge.
Among those who own an EV, 70 percent said they’d already made changes to the front of their homes to aid charging. And 22 percent had reduced green space to benefit their electric car.
However, some 28 percent of respondents are also concerned that an increase in EV charging will have a negative effect on their neighbourhood.
Worries about charging cables running across the pavement (42 percent), and a lack of off-road parking for EV charging (39 percent), are the biggest issues.
Living the suburban dream?
Respondents believed the loss of front gardens for parking is a concern, with 55 percent recognising that preserving garden greenery allows rainwater to soak away, helping reduce flood risks.
Charlie Jardine, CEO at EO Charging, said: “With the expansion of ULEZ around London and other cities likely to follow a similar path with congestion charging, more people living in the suburbs will benefit from choosing to drive EVs.
“This means the desire for home charging facilities will grow, putting more pressure on front gardens and neighbourhood green spaces.”
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