Three in five drivers have been put off buying an electric vehicle (EV) as a result of rising domestic energy prices, said the AA.
A recent survey conducted by the AA has revealed the impact the energy crisis has had on EV adoption. It said 63% of drivers now state that rising energy costs has put them off making the switch to EVs.
The poll of 12,500 drivers also found that 10% say the hike in home energy bills is the main reason for sticking with a petrol or diesel car.
This could be seen as being in contrast to recent research conducted by Centrica’s Hive which indicated that 54% of drivers want to switch to electric cars within the next five years. The rise in energy costs could deter many drivers and could see a dip in the adoption of the clean vehicles amid the ongoing crisis.
Mitigating these concerns, a quarter (24%) say increased energy bills has not deterred them from switching to an electric car, with 3% of respondents already driving an EV.
“With domestic energy prices rising, drivers can be forgiven for believing switching to an EV will become expensive quickly. However, the reality is that even with the hike in domestic electricity costs, running an EV is considerably cheaper than a petrol or diesel car,” said Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA.
“With much focus on the 2030 ban on the sale of new combustion cars and vans, lawmakers need to keep a watchful eye on how energy prices will impact the transition to electrification as much as the traditional barriers to ownership.”
Energy costs are additionally having an impact on the availability of affordable EV charging infrastructure for drivers. Osprey Charging revealed earlier this month that it is increasing the price of its rapid EV charging network to £1/kWh due to “extraordinary circumstances”.
Osprey Charging told Current± last year it made a price increase in August 2021 from 36p/kWh to 40p/kWh, with this being due to a mix of wholesale prices as well as the confirmation from HMRC that VAT on the electricity used for EV charging should be 20%. This new rate is an increase by more than double the previous figure.
There is data indicating that EV charging at home could result in a reduction of monthly energy bills by around £200. This is a result from Indra’s vehicle-to-home (V2H) pilot trial.
Using a bidirectional V2H Charger, the technology provides EV owners with a means to charge vehicles with off-peak energy, which is often both cheaper and derived from renewable energy sources.
Energy is also able to be discharged back from their vehicle during peak times to power their homes. This will then see a reduction in the costs of energy bills, stated Indra.
Current±’s publisher Solar Media is running the EV World Congress on 5 and 6 October at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Tower Bridge. To find out more and get your ticket, see here.