Friday, 14 August 2015

The truth on electric vehicle ownership

A new government report has realigned long-held beliefs about electric car ownership and usage patterns.

Echoingpoints made by government and industry electric vehicle body Go Ultra Low, theDepartment for Transport (DfT) report, entitled ‘Uptake of Ultra Low EmissionVehicles in the UK’, draws on the research from almost 50 UK and internationalsources, and points to a significant change in the way motorists use and ownplug-in vehicles.

Contrary to popular perceptions, evidence from the report shows that 82% ofUltra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV)-owning households in the UK use theirelectric car as their main vehicle, while for 20% of owners an electric vehicleis the only car.

The report also found that ULEV usage is not restricted to short-distancejourneys, as per previous predictions. In fact, plug-ins are being driven forcomparable mileages to petrol and diesel cars. Where an ULEV is used as themain car in the household, the average annual mileage is approximately 8,850miles. This is greater than with the estimated UK average for all cars of 8,430miles, according to National Travel Survey data.

Importantly, the report demonstrates that the vast majority of ULEV owners inthe UK are highly satisfied with their ownership experience. In a UK trial, 90%said they would recommend an electric vehicle to others. Furthermore, theevidence shows that most ULEV owners are positive about buying another plug-invehicle in the future.

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said,‘As this report shows, plug-in vehicles are cheap to run, can be used every dayand owner satisfaction is incredibly high.

‘More and more families and businesses are choosing plug-in cars and vans tohelp them get on in life. The government is investing £500 million over thenext five years in ultra low emission vehicles, innovative technology andcharging infrastructure to support jobs and growth and keep Britain as a globalleader for ULEVs.’

Hetal Shah, Head of Go Ultra Low said, ‘Thisnew government report goes a long way to challenge the misconceptions manypeople still have when it comes to plug-in vehicles and reflects what ishappening in the market place - demand is increasing rapidly, up 256% year onyear in the UK.

‘Brits are really starting to wake up to benefits of electric motoring. Withdriving costs from as little as 2p a mile, coupled with the wide range of carsnow available, from city run-arounds and family hatchbacks to 4x4s and sportscars, there’s an electric car to suit almost every lifestyle.’