Almost half of UK drivers plan to make their next car a low-emission vehicle, according to new research by Kwik Fit.
The proportion planning to buy an electric vehicle, hybrid or plug-in hybrid has reached 44%—the highest level recorded in the company’s annual survey and up from 33% in 2020.
Two-thirds of drivers (67%) expect to change their vehicle. They anticipate doing so in an average of 22 months, while 31% plan to replace their car within the next year.
Among the 59% of respondents who currently own a petrol-engined car, only 30% said their next vehicle would also be petrol-powered.
Range and charging remain barriers
Range was again one of the leading concerns about buying an electric vehicle, although the proportion citing it has fallen from 41% in 2023 to 35% this year.
An equal proportion said they were concerned that they would not be able to charge an electric vehicle at home. Kwik Fit said home charging had risen from the sixth most common concern in last year’s research to the second most cited factor this year.
Policy uncertainty is also influencing some purchasing intentions. Among drivers planning to buy an electric vehicle next, 30% said the Government’s consultation on relaxing the ZEV Mandate had made them less likely to choose one.
The consultation has affected some existing electric vehicle owners too: 25% said it had made them less likely to make an electric vehicle their next car.
Drivers split over ZEV Mandate timetable
Overall, 36% of respondents agreed that the Government should retain the current ZEV Mandate timetable, compared with 29% who disagreed. Among current electric vehicle owners, support was higher, with 56% favouring the existing schedule and 15% opposed.
Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said the research indicated that the UK car parc could change quickly as drivers replace their vehicles.
“Over the last six years Kwik Fit’s research has shown a consistent rise in the number of drivers planning to switch to an EV or hybrid,” he said. “It is vital that the ZEV Mandate phasing treads the right balance between encouraging the transition to low emissions and the practicalities vehicle manufacturers face.”
Joyce added that potential changes to the mandate risked creating uncertainty among drivers and said motorists would need support regardless of their choice of powertrain.