PURCHASING an electric vehicle has become “normalised” with prospective customers expecting to mainly use them for longer journeys than buyers of petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

The latest eBay Motors Group Consumer Insight Panel research found a third of buyers expecting to purchase an EV as their next car will use them mainly for journeys between 100-200 miles, with a further 14% planning journeys over 200 miles.

The gains made by EVs are mostly at the expense of diesel, the traditional fuel of choice for higher mileages. Two-thirds of buyers planning on purchasing a diesel model expect their main journeys to be just 20-100 miles, dropping to 26% for journeys of 100-200 miles and just 10% for journeys over 200 miles.

Petrol is the fuel of choice where main journeys are under 20 miles, followed by PHEV, EV and diesel. Lucy Tugby, Marketing Director of eBay Motors Group, said: “What we’re now witnessing is the normalisation of EV purchasing among buyers, with range anxiety less of an issue as models with greater ranges become increasingly available on the new and used markets.

“Our research shows how EVs have become a practical choice for buyers who previously would have favoured diesel and petrol,” she said.

The study, which polled the views of over 2,000 in-market buyers, also found 84% will use EVs as their main car and 16% as an additional car. This was also in contrast to diesel where 79% would be for main cars and 21% for additional cars.

Overall, the research identified a strong propensity among consumers to buy a car, regardless of fuel type, with four in 10 owners expecting to start searching within the next 12 months.

“Despite the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis, the appetite among buyers to search for their next car and make a purchase remains strong, and that’s welcome news for all dealers,” said Tugby.