Only 44% of Brits would switch to an electric car, according to new study

This is how many Brits would switch to an electric car, according to a new study 

• 44% of Brits said they would switch to an electric car but won’t be quick to do so 
• Those aged 30-49 were overall the most interested 
• 29% of Brits said they were unlikely to make the switch any time soon 

44% of Brits would make the switch to an electric car, new research has revealed. 

The study by car leasing comparison site Leasing.com analysed a late 2021 ONS survey which quizzed people in the UK on their thoughts on electric cars and making the switch over to alternative fuels. 

It found that 44% of Brits would switch to an all-electric vehicle in the next ten years, with 22% saying they were very likely to. In contrast 29% said they were unlikely to, with 14% saying they were very unlikely to. 54% of those aged 30 to 49 said they were likely to make the switch, making them the age group most interested in electric vehicles.  

Only 28% of those aged 70+ said they would make the switch to electric. Londoners responded the most positively, with 50% saying they were likely to switch to electric. People in the East Midlands were some of the most unlikely to, with only 34% saying they would consider the idea.  

Although it seems many people are open to the idea of owning an all-electric vehicle, many would not make the switch for a long time. Only 3% of people would make the switch in less than one year, 11% said they expect to in 1 to 2 years, 27% said 3 to 4, and a whopping 42% said it would take five years or more to start driving electric. 

For those who own a motor vehicle that is not electric: 

How likely or unlikely are you to switch to an all-electric vehicle in the next ten years?	Percentage
Very likely	22%
Fairly likely	22%
Neither likely nor unlikely	26%
Fairly unlikely	15%
Very unlikely	14%

Of those who said they were unlikely to buy an electric vehicle any time soon, the top reason they were not doing so was cost, with 70% of respondents saying so. 52% said another reason was a lack of infrastructure, in this case, the availability of charging points, which would put them off buying electric. 18% also mentioned the reliability of electric vehicles as a reason. 

Of those who are very or somewhat likely to switch to an all-electric vehicle: 

In what timescale do you expect to make the switch?	Percentage
Less than one year	3%
1 or 2 years	11%
3 or 4 years	27%
5 years or more	42%
Not sure	16%

The survey also asked new-vehicle buyers who do not own a motor vehicle now but expect to in the next year. 6% said they hope to drive an electric vehicle in the next six months, 23% said they hope to get one in six months to a year, and a massive 71% said they don’t plan on switching to electric in the next year. 

Commenting on the findings, Dave Timmis from Leasing.com said: “Despite electric vehicles being more common than ever before, many people are still wary about making the switch, according to this data. While the cost and lack of infrastructure may be the main reasons for this, rising fuel costs mean converting to electric is becoming more attractive each day.  

“Our own research shows that switching to electric via leasing, is on average 18% cheaper than buying.” 

This study was conducted by car leasing comparison site Leasing.com, with over 20 years of experience offering personal and business car leasing offers from brokers, dealers manufacturers and funders all in one place. 

Further information can be found at  leasing.com.