A NEW survey by EV salary sacrifice company The Electric Car Scheme has revealed that 63% of UK drivers wish there was more information available to help them make the switch to EVs.
On top of this, 45% of people say they often hear misconceptions about electric cars in society. But, what is the truth behind the most common EV myths?
To help UK drivers make informed decisions around the uptake of EVs, experts at The Electric Car Scheme have debunked the most widely spread misconceptions surrounding electric cars.
Thom Groot, Co-Founder of The Electric Car Scheme, also explains why the government needs to provide better information to encourage more drivers to make the switch.
Experts debunk the eight most common EV misconceptions
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Myth: EVS require more maintenance and have higher running costs than petrol or diesel cars
According to government data, in many cases, an EV is actually cheaper to run than a petrol or diesel car, with lower maintenance and repair costs. It is suggested that drivers will save an average of £700 per year. 69% of people surveyed didn’t realise this was the case.
The Electric Car Scheme’s survey also revealed that 67% of those who have already switched to an EV have found the running costs to be cheaper than a petrol or diesel car.
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Myth: EV drivers can’t save over £2,000 per year in tax incentives
65% of Brits are unaware that you can actually save a significant amount in tax incentives per year by switching to an EV. Currently, the government offers zero road tax and favourable company car tax rates for electric car drivers, which can save people over £2,000 each year.
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Myth: EVs can’t be charged or driven in the rain
Despite 45% of people believing you can’t charge (or drive) your EV in the rain, this is completely false. Charging an EV is completely safe in any weather condition, as the charging systems are entirely sealed and built to withstand water intrusion.
It’s also perfectly fine to drive your EV in the rain, as long as you take it steady on the roads — as you would with any vehicle in wetter conditions. And for the 32% of Brits who are unsure, yes your EV can go through a carwash too.
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Myth: There aren’t enough EV chargers to meet demand
Only 26% of people correctly said that there are enough EV chargers to meet demand. In reality, industry statistics show that there are currently 55,301 electric vehicle charging points across the UK — which marks a 46% increase since January 2023.
On top of that, 69% of EV owners surveyed said they have an EV charger installed at their home.
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Myth: You can’t drive an EV if you live in a flat or house without a driveway due to lack of charging availability
Half of drivers think that people who don’t have access to a driveway can’t have an EV because there’s nowhere to charge it. In actual fact, there are thousands of public EV charging stations available across the UK, and as many as 49% of EV drivers say they tend to do the bulk of their charging away from home.
The government has also committed £20 million to the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme, to support local authorities to fund charging points for residents who don’t have off-street parking.
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Myth: EV batteries do not meet the range of most drivers
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of those surveyed believe that EVs don’t offer the range that most drivers are looking for, which is in fact false.
The average electric car range in 2023 was 219 miles, and 69% of UK drivers travel less than 200 miles in their vehicle each week — making an EV vehicle the perfect choice.
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Myth: EVs cannot be used for a long distance trip
Half (52%) of Brits think you can’t use EVs for a long distance drive. It might require a bit more planning, but you definitely can take an EV on a road trip.
As we’ve mentioned, EVs tend to have a range of around 219 miles, which equates to just over three hours of driving time. If you’re going to be driving for any longer than this, just make sure to look up charging stations along your route ahead of time, and factor this into your plan.
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Myth: Manufacturing an EV creates more greenhouse gas emissions than it saves
Over its lifetime, a typical EV emits around two-thirds less greenhouse gas emissions than a petrol or diesel car, even after accounting for battery production and disposal. The government even suggests that by 2050, an EV will produce 80% less emissions than a petrol car.
Only 27% of Brits are aware of this, and nearly a third (29%) think EV manufacturing leads to more emissions than driving one will save.
Thom Groot, Co-Founder of The Electric Car Scheme says, “We’ve recently hit a huge milestone here in the UK, with one million EVs now on our roads.
“We still have a long way to go though, and as our research has shown, there are too many commonly believed misconceptions around EVs that are preventing people from making the switch.
“The government’s flip-flopping and inconsistent policies over the last few years have led to confusion for the UK public. We need them to do a lot more to improve the information available to drivers in the UK. This will help people make informed decisions regarding their future car choices, and should hopefully move us ever closer to a carbon-neutral future.”
