London DOUBLED its number of rapid EV chargers in 2020 — nice
Cost still a factor
Nearly eight in ten UK motorists (78%) think that electric cars are still too expensive when compared to conventional vehicles of a similar size, according to research from the latestRAC Report on Motoring.
The report found that 9% of the 3,000 respondents to the study said they intended to make a switch to electric the next time they change their vehicle – up from 6% in 2019 and 3% a year earlier.
[Read:How this company leveraged AI to become the Netflix of Finland]
More than half of drivers (53%) said they would like to see VAT on zero-emission vehicles either cut or abolished entirely, with a slightly smaller proportion (48%) favoring a scrappage scheme to make switching more affordable.
RAC Data Insight spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With 2030 now clearly set as the date for the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, momentum behind getting more of us into EVs is building – and it’s clear that an increasing proportion of drivers are responding.
“But the single biggest barrier to a driver choosing an electric car over one powered by petrol or diesel has to cost.
“Although good finance leasing deals and offers such as free home charging for a set period can help, it appears to be the case that the price of many new EVs remains prohibitively high for a lot of people, with most drivers keen to see more financial help from the government to bring costs down.”
Almost one in three motorists (30%) favor a £1,000 (US$1,367) increase to the currentPlug-in Car Grant,which would take it up to £4,000.
Other European countries, such as Norway, have introduced tax-cutting measures on the purchase of new EVs that have dramatically increased EV ownership.
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Story byCities Today
Cities Today is the leading news platform on urban mobility and innovation, reaching an international audience of city leaders.Cities Today is the leading news platform on urban mobility and innovation, reaching an international audience of city leaders.
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