EV uncertainty increases as 1 in 4 now ‘defiant’ about switching

Uncertainty about making the switch to electric is growing among UK drivers, new research has revealed.

Bridgestone has revealed the results of its latest consumer survey, which shows that 4 in 10 drivers are now uncertain about switching to an EV.

This is significantly up from 27% in 2024 and 22% just three years ago.

What’s more, a defiant 27% insisted they would never buy an electric car. Rather than declining, this is up 5% in just two years.

Somewhat more positively, over half of those surveyed said they would be making the switch to electric within the next five years. Even this, however, is some way off the 80% electric new car sales targeted by the government’s ZEV Mandate by 2030.

It’s the high upfront cost of EVs that’s deterring motorists. Almost 6 in 10 said this was the key reason for not making the switch.

This has jumped from the 42% figure just a year ago.

While 62% say access to charging is a barrier, this has at least fallen from last year’s 68% – suggesting things may slowly be improving in the UK’s public charging infrastructure.

Just under 1 in 2 UK drivers say range limitations are a key concern.

"Our research tells us that while the appetite for EVs remains strong," says Bridgestone UK and Ireland consumer sales director Drew Chapman. "The confidence to commit is still not quite there for many.”

The research also showed that 53% of UK motorists say it's the high cost of charging an electric car that's deterring them from making the switch.

Ask HJ

Should I switch from petrol to an EV if I want long term reliability?

I've owned my 15 year old MkVI Golf TSI for 12 years and it's reliably covered over 160,000 miles. However, expensive problems are occurring and there are more issues on the horizon. It's probably towards the end of it's useful life. I am looking for a 2/3 year old replacement which will hopefully serve me just as well over the long term. I'm interested in EVs and hybrids but am concerned about long term reliability. Would they last or should I stick to good old petrol? And would you recommend any particular makes or models that are likely to go the distance?

With far fewer moving parts on an EV, there's less to go wrong, which suggests that long-term reliability could well be better than an equivalent petrol/diesel-powered car. Battery degradation isn't too much of a worry either, with most EVs coming with a separate eight-year warranty on the battery guaranteeing at least 70% capacity. Interestingly, one of the oldest EVs out there, the BMW i3, is known to have fared very well in this regard. It's difficult to say which models will prove reliable over an extended period of time, so we'd recommend letting personal preference guide your decision. For further reading, see our guide to the best electric cars, all of which have been around long enough for plenty of two to three-year-old examples to be on the used market: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/guides/best-electric-cars Also see the results from our latest Satisfaction Index, which covers reliability. This may help steer your choice: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/honest-john-satisfaction-index/satisfaction-index-best-car-makes-and-models/#

Answered by Matt Robinson

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