3 out of 4 Electric Vehicle (EV) Drivers See High Public Charging Prices As Major Barrier to Wider EV Uptake 

Drivers Highlight What Needs to Change to Increase EV Uptake 

Three out of four drivers believe the high cost of public charging to be the most significant barrier to wider uptake of Electric Vehicles (EV), according to our latest report released today, Key Steps to Driving ZEV Demand. Other major concerns highlighted by respondents were the deterrent effect of common ‘EV misinformation and myths’ and the high initial purchasing costs of EVs compared to petrol and diesel equivalents.

The publishing of our report comes amidst concerns in the EV sector that a lack of consumer incentives risks derailing the progress made towards EV uptake so far.

Vicky Edmonds, Chief Executive of EVA England, said:

“We urge the Government to take note of our findings. They are informed by the most important people in this debate – the drivers themselves. Whilst we continue to see very high levels of satisfaction from EV drivers who have made the switch from petrol and diesel, there are still significant barriers to wider uptake.  Action is needed to tackle the ‘triple whammy’ of high public charging costs, the constant drip feed of anti-EV misinformation from vested interests and the high initial costs of EV purchase. In addition, we urge the Government to consider a raft of other measures that can, in combination and over time, help ensure that demand for EVs continues to grow at the required pace to help meet the country’s climate targets.”

Our report, Key Steps to Driving ZEV Demand, comes as we submit our response to the Government’s public consultation on its flagship Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate policy, guiding car manufacturers towards the 2030 end of sale of new petrol and diesel cars. The public consultation called for stakeholders in the EV space, including drivers, to share their views on the current state of the transition, the technicalities of the ZEV Mandate itself, and what policies the Government should consider next to ensure EV uptake continues rising in accordance with upcoming decarbonisation targets. 

In this report, we have made a total of 14 recommendations to the Government. This includes : 

1. An expansion of popular workplace ‘salary sacrifice’ schemes. 
2. The introduction of a scheme that allows access to lower cost EVs for lower income households, such as a France style social leasing scheme or used car loan scheme. 
3. Simplified application and permit processes for the installation of cross-pavement charging solutions. 
4. Minimum compliance with accessibility standards for drivers with disabilities. 
5. Regulated signage for charging points to improve charge point visibility in terms of both location and cost. 

Vicky Edmonds added:

‘EV uptake has risen quickly over the last fifteen years. In 2010 there were just over 1,500 Electric cars on UK roads, compared to over 1 million today. Much of this impressive growth can be closely linked to Government incentives and regulations aimed at EV uptake. But as the market evolves so do the challenges, meaning a new set of actions is now needed to encourage more drivers to take up an EV.”

The full report is available here:

Want to see real change in EV policies? Become a member of EVA England and make your voice heard. Join us today and be part of the conversation shaping the future of electric driving.

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Notes to Editors: 

1. An EVA England ‘Flash Survey’ launched in the context of the Government’s ZEV Mandate consultation. This survey ran between the 24^th January and 12^th February 2025, collating a total of 461 responses with the majority of respondents (401) current EV drivers.  

2. Among the survey’s key findings were: 

• 75% of EV drivers called for action to be taken to address high public charging costs 

• 68% of EV drivers identified misinformation as one of the leading barriers holding drivers back from switching to an EV. 

• 66% of EV drivers identified upfront cost as one of the greatest barriers holding drivers back from switching to an EV. 

• 86% found running costs to then be significantly cheaper.  

• Petrol, diesel and hybrid drivers identified upfront purchase cost, availability of public charging infrastructure, concerns over battery range, and ease of using public chargers as key barriers preventing them from making the switch to full electric driving.    

• 44% of ZEV drivers identified accessing the means to charge privately (or accessing a home energy tariff) where off-street parking is not available as a core concern. 

3. The associated EVA England report, Key Steps to Driving ZEV Demand, has launched today, 20th February, and is available to download here. 

4. The report outlines a total 14 policy proposals to Government, falling under four categories: 

• Taxation measures to address upfront costs that remain higher, on average, than petrol and diesel cars 

• Enhanced support for lower-cost EVs, including the second-hand market, allowing lower income households to make the switch 

• Measures addressing the growing charging divide between those with and without easy access to cheaper home charging rates 

• Improved access to charging, including for drivers with disabilities.  

5. A number of demand-side Government incentives considered key for EV uptake so far have either recently been removed or are about to be. This includes the Plug-in Car Grant, a popular scheme providing up to £25,000 of funding per vehicle, withdrawn in June 2022, and key tax exemptions from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) set to end from April 2025.  

6. The Government consultation on its proposal to restore the phase out date ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 to its original 2030 date, and on the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate as the mechanism guiding car manufacturers towards this deadline, closed on Tuesday 18th February 2025 following its launch on 24 December 2024th.  

7. The Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England was established in June 2020 to offer a voice, services and representation to current and prospective electric vehicle drivers in England. EVA England is a non-profit community interest company founded by passionate EV drivers inspired by the benefits of electric driving and concerned by the health and climate impacts of the use of petrol and diesel cars and vans.