Britain wants to go electric as we survey the nation for Clean Air Day
Half of British drivers (50%) say they’d like to help the planet by switching to an electric vehicle.
That’s the headline statistic from our latest study, which we commissioned to mark Clean Air Day (17 June) – the UK's largest air pollution campaign.
Our data insights team found that drivers understand how switching to an electric vehicle can help the planet, with 78% saying it’ll hurt the environment if they don’t give up petrol and diesel cars.
However, more education on the benefit of EVs is needed to give confidence to consumers considering making the switch, say industry experts.
Professor Peter Wells of the Cardiff University’s Centre for Automotive Industry Research, said: “What the research tells us is that the British public have an appetite for electric vehicles with a clear understanding that it is better for the environment.
“While there have been great strides in the industry to get greater access to EVs, more needs to be done to help potential EV buyers. There is concern over the financial risks, but also concerns over range and the availability of charge points.
“While there is still a way to go, there are companies – such as Volkswagen Financial Services – that offer affordable ways to drive and maintain EVs, helping to address motorists’ concerns.
“We need to focus on making it even simpler and easier for consumers by putting emphasis on the total cost of ownership and perhaps bundling items like insurance and home charging installations. Vehicle manufacturers must nurture a healthy used EV market to ensure vehicles hold their value over time.”
What is Volkswagen Financial Services doing to boost wider adoption of EVs?
We are hugely committed to helping drivers make the switch to electric, which is why we’ve created an app, online finance calculators, and a specific finance package all geared towards this ambition.
Launched late last year, our Lease&Care package alleviates the unknown costs and depreciation some consumers’ associate with purchasing an electric vehicle, allowing customers to have flexibility and peace of mind when making the switch.
And for motorists looking for an EV at the more affordable end of the spectrum, Volkswagen has recently launched more accessible versions of the ID.3 electric hatchback, with starting prices around £32,000.
Our research also found that half (50%) of UK motorists say they worry about having access to enough charging points, with more than one in three (35%) concerned about the range of an EV on a single charge.
However, there are around 35,000 public charging points across the UK (and rising), and the electric Volkswagen ID.3 can travel for 300 miles on a single charge. We are always working to dispel EV myths whenever and wherever we can.
What is Volkswagen Financial Service’s position on the EV revolution?
Mike Todd, CEO of Volkswagen Financial Services, explained that electric vehicles will only become more popular in the years ahead as we all become more aware of the various benefits of these cars.
He said: “It wasn’t so long ago that electric vehicles were seen as niche, but manufacturers have made enormous strides to make these cars accessible to the mainstream, and I believe we are in the midst of arguably the biggest revolution in the history of the automotive industry.
“All of our brands in VW Group have comprehensive and exciting plans for electrification of models and people are beginning to really understand the advantages of going electric, not just in terms of the obvious environmental benefits but the financial rewards, too.
“We have various products and services available to support customers making the switch to an electric vehicle.
“For example, our EV&Me app, which we created with Audi, is just one of the ways that we are helping to educate customers, as it demonstrates how an individual’s driving style would suit an EV and what to expect if they were in one of Audi’s new EVs.
“We also have our EV-4-ME online tool, which guides drivers through a series of simple questions about their vehicle and journey needs before advising which fuel type could work best for them right now.”
Where can you find out more?
For more information on electric vehicles, visit our dedicated EV hub.
To read more about Volkswagen’s ID.4, which was crowned World Car of the Year at the 2021 World Car Awards, click here.
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