Drivers 'confused' by electric cars, ministers warned - and one in five are 'diehard' against ever owning one

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Many drivers are 'confused' by electric vehicles, their benefits and how we as a nation transition to battery cars, ministers have been told.

The AA said most drivers are 'hesitant but not hostile' towards EVs but more education and incentives are required to make them appeal to a wider audience of motorists amid concerns that sales are slipping behind target.

A survey of more than 14,000 of its members indicated some drivers have limited knowledge about how EVs work and the Government's plans to move away from traditional combustion-engine cars.

A third of respondents think manual EVs are available despite them all being automatic and 7 per cent believe sales of used petrol and diesel cars will be banned in 2030 along with new models, the report found.

Yet the motoring group also acknowledges that a fifth of people would not ever be convinced to switch.

More than one in five (22 per cent) polled said they are 'diehard' against buying an EV and said they would 'never own one'.

The AA has warned ministers that many drivers remain 'confused' about electric cars and their future on Britain's roads and that this is tempering demand for EVs

The report concluded there is currently four types of driver when it comes to EV adoption.

A fifth are 'rejectors' who are steadfast again EVs and say they will never get one.

'Doubters' represented another fifth of motorists polled; those who are neutral or unlikely get an EV as their next car and want to hold onto a petrol or diesel vehicle for as long as possible.

More than half (52 per cent) are dubbed 'potentials'. These are likely to buy an EV as their next car in the next five years or after that, though are delaying purchases over concerns about high prices, range and charge anxiety.

That leaves just 7 per cent as 'adopters' - motorists who already drive an EV today.

The AA concluded in the report that Britons need to be shown that EVs are 'desirable, not just unavoidable' and that confusion played a big part in the slower-than-expect transition to electric cars.

It also took a swipe at the Government's reliance on the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate - which forces manufacturers to sell an increasing share of EVs each year over the next decade - to drive the transition to electric cars, saying it would fail unless more incentives were introduced to benefit ownership.

Transitioning to an electric future: The ZEV mandate forces car makers to sell an increasing volume of EVs each year over the next decade but does little to incentivise drivers to make the switch, the AA said

Under the mandate, at least 28 per cent of new cars sold by mainstream manufacturers this year must have been zero-emission, which generally means pure electric.

The mandate percentages rise each year, reaching 80 per cent by 2030.

Failure to abide by the mandate or make use of flexibilities – such as buying credits from rival companies or making more sales in future years – will result in a requirement to pay the Government £15,000 per polluting car sold above the limits.

The Government is analysing feedback from a recent consultation on proposed changes to the rules, which could include making it easier for non-compliant manufacturers to avoid fines.

It has previously committed to reverse then-prime minister Rishi Sunak's decision in September 2023 to delay prohibiting the sale of conventionally fuelled new cars from 2030 until 2035.

The AA says that while the ZEV mandate will force car makers to increase their share of EV sales, many drivers are being 'left behind' in this process and ministers must 'understand their views'. 

This is especially the case given that 73 per cent of motorists in the UK have no experience of EVs at all, according to its poll. 

The survey found a lack of knowledge among some drivers. A third of respondents think manual EVs are available despite them all being automatic and 7% believe sales of used petrol and diesel cars will be banned in 2030 along with new models

The AA concluded in the report that Britons need to be shown that EVs are 'desirable, not just unavoidable' and that confusion played a big part in the slower-than-expect transition to electric cars

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Jakob Pfaudler, AA chief executive, said: 'Our message to Government is more needs to be done to make EVs accessible for everyone.

'Our research shows many people are confused by the transition which is not surprising as the main catalyst for change, the ZEV mandate, only governs supply but does little to encourage demand for EVs.

'The ambitious goal of the Climate Change Committee that 80 per cent of cars should be electric by 2040 shows how much needs to be done to get there.'

Sue Davies, head of consumer rights at Which?, said: 'When it comes to making sustainable choices such as switching to an electric car, our research shows that people are often held back by high costs, complex choices or uncertainty.

'The government needs to provide the right information on EVs and other sustainable choices so that people have the confidence to switch.'

The AA's report placed increased responsibility on ministers to co-ordinate a public awareness campaign alongside the motoring industry which directly targets drivers who doubt the viability of EVs.

The organisation urged ministers to consider 'targeted incentives' to reduce the cost of owning the vehicles, including reducing VAT on public charging from 20 per cent to 5 per cent to be consistent with taxation on domestic rates.

This would make EVs more appealing to the 40 per cent of people living in properties without driveways and off-street parking.

The AA says government needs to launch incentives to boost EV uptake. This includes cutting the cost of charging an electric car using a public device

Around 40% of drivers in Britain do not have access to a homecharger (like the one pictured) because their property does not have off-street parking

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The AA's warning to minister comes just days after official figures shows that EVs accounted for 25 per cent of new cars entering the road in February.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and traders said the increase in registrations - up 42 per cent year-on-year - was primarily a cause of drivers accelerating EV purchases ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax grab on electric car, which will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty for the first time under new rules introduced on 1 April. 

Despite this jump in sales, they remain behind the 28 per cent threshold set out by the ZEV mandate. 

DVLA figures show just 5 per cent of cars licensed in the UK as of the end of June 2024 were pure electric or plug-in hybrid.

A DfT spokesperson said: 'We're investing over £2.3 billion to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs.

'This includes installing a public chargepoint every 28 minutes, keeping EV incentives in the company car tax regime to 2030, and extending 100 per cent first year allowances for zero emission cars for another year.

'Second-hand EVs are also becoming cheaper than ever, with one in three available under £20,000 and 21 brand new models available for less than £30,000.

'We're seeing growing consumer confidence as a result.'