More than two in five Brits would now consider buying an electric vehicle (EV), according to a new poll commissioned by Pure Planet.
The survey, part of the company’s ‘People and Power’ report, found 43 per cent of UK adults said they would consider going electric, while almost a fifth (17 per cent) said they were more likely to do so than a year ago.
The poll asked people what factors would be most likely to persuade them to make the switch.
The most common answer, given by 41 per cent of those surveyed, was a reduction in costs. Pure Planet said that while the cost of new vehicles is high, prices are coming down and the electricity to power them is less than half as expensive as petrol or diesel.
Range was also big factor in respondents’ considerations – 38 per cent said being able to drive further between charges would encourage them to buy an EV. Meanwhile, 37 per cent wanted an increased number of charging stations.
Steven Day, co-founder of renewable energy supplier Pure Planet, said: “Why wouldn’t you want cleaner, faster, quieter – and with much cheaper running costs?
“Electric vehicles are changing the way we think about mobility – and the planet.
“We are on the road to a zero-emission world but unless EVs are powered by clean renewable energy, you are still burning fossil fuels to charge your car.”
According to new figures released by the national campaign Go Ultra Low, nearly 60,000 EVs vehicles were registered in the UK in 2018. This represents a 19 per cent increase on the previous year.
Last year, the government released its Road to Zero strategy which confirmed its intention to ban the sale of all conventional petrol and diesel powered cars from 2040.