New data reveals that Londoners are more likely to choose an EV for their next car than drivers from any other region of the UK.
The research, undertaken by Kwik Fit, found that more than a quarter (27 percent) of motorists in the capital plan to own an electric car.
By comparison, just one in 14 (seven percent) of those in south-west England say they are likely to opt for an electric car in the near-future.
Regional disparities for EV ownership
The research found that nine percent of London-based motorists currently own an EV, the joint highest proportion in the survey.
This was tied with respondents from the West Midlands, although only 22 percent of drivers in that region were considering an EV as their next car.
A key takeaway from the survey was that UK regions with lower existing levels of EV ownership typically saw fewer drivers planning to go electric in the future.
For example, only three percent of those surveyed in south-west England currently own an electric car, with respondents in Yorkshire and Humberside at the same level. And motorists from these two regions also expressed the least intention to buy an EV.
The electric direction of travel
Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: “Government and industry need to work together to ensure that some regions are not left behind as the national car parc transitions over the coming years. One could assume that the different driving patterns or traffic levels in different areas could lead to contrasting attitudes towards EVs, but the fact that the south west and the south east regions have very similar results show it’s not as simple as that.
“Infrastructure varies across the country, but not always in the way you might think. For instance, government data shows that there are three times more public EV charging devices per head in Cornwall or North Devon than there are in Basildon or Tunbridge Wells. Every driver will have their own reasons for choosing the car they do, but it’s important to ensure that they are making their decisions on the basis of equal opportunities.”
Once drivers have made the commitment to electric car ownership, however, the research suggests they are highly unlikely to swap back. An 80 percent majority of EV drivers said their next car would also be electric, with just one in 10 planning to buy a petrol or diesel car instead.
By contrast, less than half (46 percent) of petrol car owners, and 35 percent of diesel drivers, intend to stay with the same fuel for their replacement car.
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