Cheaper running costs drive EV popularity… and charging network is just fine, say drivers

Drivers of fossil fuel cars have been hammered at filling stations with motoring groups saying they feel “ripped off” by the growing margins pocketed by fuel retailers.

A litre of petrol now costs on average more than £1.45 in the UK. In contrast, charging an EV can cost as little as 7p a kilowatt hour (kWh).

Drivers charging an EV on a clean energy tariff like Intelligent Octopus Go – EV Saver can save up to £1,000 a year compared to a fossil fuel car¹.

Just over one in three (34%) petrol and diesel drivers reported lower running costs of electric cars as the main reason for wanting to make the switch.

Perhaps less surprisingly, almost all (96%¹) EV drivers are happy with their vehicles and say it is likely their next car will also be electric, the research commissioned by the UK’s largest EV leasing company Octopus Electric Vehicles from Opinion Matters shows².

The top reasons for EV drivers switching to electric were making a positive impact on the planet (55%), followed by wanting to have the latest technology (41%) and cheaper running costs (40%).

Four in five (79%) EV drivers say they’ve had a good overall experience with public charging in the UK, with a further 13% of respondents saying their experience was neither good or bad. This contradicts outdated claims that charging is still inconvenient³.

EV drivers with a home charger say that on average two-thirds of their charging is done at home. And almost all (88%) drivers with a home charger say they make use of a low-cost EV specialist tariff.

EV drivers use a public rapid charger on average just 10 times a month, the research found. With more than 14,000 rapid or ultra-rapid charging connectors in the UK⁴, there are plenty to service the cars on the road.

But misinformation about EVs has had a negative effect – one in ten people wrongly believe EVs are more expensive to run.

Fiona Howarth, CEO Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “This research is clear – almost half of the UK’s drivers are ready to get an electric car today, and yet they make up less than a quarter of the cars being sold.

“Certain laggard car manufacturers may claim drivers aren’t ready for EVs, but they underestimate UK drivers’ appreciation for the value, fun, and peace of mind electric cars offer.”

“Government policies like the ZEV Mandate are critical to keep driving the manufacturers to bring affordable electric cars to UK drivers. Those manufacturers are grabbing market share, and there’s a race on to be the brands of our future roads.”