Privately owned electric vehicles drive sales spike
Almost 100,000 privately owned electric vehicles were added to UK roads in just three months.
Analysis of Department for Transport figures carried out by the AA found that the number of privately owned electric vehicles increased by 99,676 between the first and second quarters of the year.
This accounts for 65.2% of the overall increase in electric cars during the quarter.
High fuel prices are driving growing demand with an electric car charged at home costing approximately 7p per mile to run compared to 17p per mile for a petrol car. For a driver covering 10,000 miles a year, that equates to an annual saving of around £1,000.
Edmund King, AA president, said: “Excessive pump prices mean for many drivers, there has never been a better time to consider going electric. Used EVs are becoming more affordable, home charging can deliver significant savings and, with petrol around £96 to fill a typical tank and diesel around £110, the potential savings from going electric are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
“We’re now seeing more private drivers making that choice. Almost 100,000 privately owned EVs were added in just three months, accounting for almost two thirds of the overall increase in electric cars. This isn’t simply a company and fleet story.
“The price gap between comparable used electric and petrol cars has also narrowed considerably, giving drivers more choice at a range of budgets.
“Access to affordable charging remains crucial. Drivers who rely heavily on ultra-rapid public charging won’t necessarily see the same savings, so we need to make sure the benefits of going electric are available to as many drivers as possible.”
