New research commissioned by Shell and conducted by LCP Delta suggests electric vehicle (EV) adoption is accelerating in several key European markets and it is having a positive impact on driver perceptions, including range anxiety. The latest findings reflect the record-breaking growth in global EV sales witnessed over the last 12 months.
The Shell Recharge EV Driver Survey 2023 is one of the largest research projects into the attitudes and behaviours of European EV drivers. In its sixth consecutive year, the latest report looks at the view of nearly 25,000 drivers across Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.
According to the report, two fifths (42%) of the respondents have purchased an EV within the last year and over two thirds (67%) within the last two years. This growth is dominated by the new EV vehicle market, with 87% of current EV drivers buying their vehicle in new condition (the equivalent figure for all vehicles in Europe is just 27%).
Promisingly, the data shows that real-world EV experience, technology advances and growth in charging infrastructure are having a positive impact on driver attitudes:
Only 14% of EV drivers say they refrain from taking longer journeys;
The number of respondents that are travelling to other European countries by EV, and having a good charging experience, has increased by 5 percentage points, while reluctance to drive abroad because of charging or range concerns is down 7 percentage points and 5 percentage points respectively;
Drivers are becoming more relaxed about when EVs are charged, with 47% of respondents saying that they do not need to charge daily.
Florian Glattes, Vice President, E-Mobility Solutions at Shell, said: "The EV adoption growth curve is clear from the data, and it is encouraging to see that many of these drivers are feeling positive about the experience. However, if we are to continue accelerating at pace then industry must listen to the needs of drivers and work together to effectively continue removing barriers into entry and further enhance the customer experience.”
Share this:
