Charging doubts replace range anxiety as top concern

Doubts about the availability and reliability of the charging infrastructure has replaced range anxiety as the major concern for motorists considering switching to an electric vehicle.

According to Volkswagen Financial Services UK (VWFS), an inability to complete long journeys in an EV is the number one reason drivers are reluctant to give up their petrol or diesel vehicles.

However, data from Zap-Map has revealed that there are now far more charging locations (20,534) than petrol stations (8,378) in the UK. At the end of August 2022, there were 33,996 EV charging points across the UK, representing a 34% increase in the number of charging devices since August 2021.

Meanwhile, there are now more than 140 diverse types of plug-in vehicles to choose from, with many more on the cusp of being launched, meaning there has been a 15-fold increase in the choice of electric vehicles since 2011.

Emma Loveday, senior fleet consultant at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, said: “As battery technologies continue to advance and range capacity increases across the new EV models being released in to the market, the current mileage range gap will continue to close.

“As we look to further support the Climate Change Committee’s target that at least 55% of light vehicles on UK roads should be battery operated by 2032, and if range parity is a consideration, this should provide further encouragement to would-be purchasers looking at EV options for the first time.”