Enthusiasm for electric vehicles is waning

Is enthusiasm for electric cars cooling off even before they're well established?

The online portal CarGurus conducted a survey that showed that compared to last year, fewer British citizens expect to own an electric car in the next decade.

Despite petrol prices hitting record highs and the fact that after 2030 it won't even be possible to buy a car with an internal combustion engine, interest in electric cars has cooled considerably among Britons. Instead of last year's 44, only 40 percent of drivers said they would own an electric car in the next five years, and instead of 66, only 59 percent of drivers said they would own an electric car in the next ten years.

CarGurus notes that the decrease in interest in electric cars occurred mainly among the youngest drivers of the so-called Generation Z. The interest of young people between the ages of 18 and 29 in owning an electric car fell from 74 last year to a modest 56 percent, which means 18 percent reduction.

Interest in the possible ownership of an electric car thus coincides with a general decline in interest in electric cars among members of Generation Z. This has actually decreased by as much as 26 percent in the last year.

Factors for purchase
On the other hand, drivers between the ages of 30 and 44 are more interested in buying electric cars. Compared to last year, as much as six percent more of them said they would buy an electric car in the next decade. If last year it was 65 percent, this year it is already 72 percent.

The survey also showed the most important factors that convince drivers to buy an electric car. Among the biggest factors are the increased availability of public charging stations with 49 percent, 47 percent cited improvements in technology and battery charging speed and range, and 43 percent noted that in terms of costs they are already close to cars with thermal engines. 33 percent cited subsidies as an incentive to purchase.