Image: BMW
A report published earlier this week shows that the growth of the electric car market in the EU fell to 33% in the first six months of 2018 in comparison to 54% over the same period in 2017.
The report, from consultancy firm EY, attributes this deceleration to an insufficient network of charging points and the distance that electric vehicles (EVs) can travel before needing to be charged.
“Charging infrastructure remains inadequate and the models currently available mostly don’t offer good enough range”, said EY partner Peter Fuss.
EVs are currently high on the agenda for both governments and carmakers across Europe as there are tough emissions targets to hit. Both the UK and France have said that bans on new petrol and diesel cars will come into force by 2040 and Norway has even said that it will do this as soon as 2025. Cities in Germany have already been given the authority to ban diesel cars.
This final point concerning diesel cars has helped to exacerbate a fall in sales for new diesel-fuelled vehicles. Drivers have been put off by these bans and the recent emissions cheating scandals, instead choosing petrol vehicles which generally emit 20% more CO2 than their diesel equivalents.
In addition to the infrastructure issues highlighted by EY’s report, the AA has identified the concerns that drivers have when it comes to owning an electric car. A survey carried out last month of 10,293 drivers in the UK highlighted the following concerns:
- 85% said that there aren’t enough charging points available to the public
- 76% said EVs couldn’t travel far enough on a single charge
- 76% said EVs cost too much
- 67% said the charging time is too long
- 67% said there aren’t enough options in terms of models
The AA responded to these concerns with an infographic which is included below.
The survey also highlighted that younger people are also more likely to want to own an electric car than people of their parents’ generation. Half of those aged 25-34 said they would like an EV, whereas only 29% of those aged 45-54 said the same.
The AA’s president Edmund King said: “The range, charging speed and charging point infrastructure are all on the increase. There needs to be a more concerted effort by us to sell the benefits of electric vehicles.”
