43 percent of European citizens agree that electric vehicles are instrumental in combatting climate change
Driving electric first needs to shift from nice-to-have to need-to-have, especially with the next generation of (potential) EV drivers viewing access to charging and price perception as the biggest concerns.
Amsterdam, October 7, 2020—With our world feeling the effects of climate change, the majority of Europeans (63 percent) consider following a sustainable path as the best solution. 40 percent go as far as to say that their government should only give financial aid related to the corona pandemic and to companies who are taking serious steps to reduce their ecological footprint. Electric cars are considered to be an instrumental solution to climate change by 43 percent of European citizens.
These are some of the initial findings from the EVBox Mobility Monitor—EVBox’s annual market research report on electric vehicle adoption and barriers conducted alongside Ipsos. The research is supported by responses from 3,600 European citizens across six countries: the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway, and the UK.
42 percent of Europeans are considering investing in an EV with climate change being cited as one of the main reasons
A large proportion of European citizens (62 percent) rate climate change as a highly personal matter—and 74 percent of people who are looking to invest in an EV or already drive one agree. More than half of the respondents (62 percent) state that reducing CO2 emissions in transportation is important to them and roughly two out of three (potential*) EV drivers clearly link eMobility to the broader theme of combating climate change. In general, environmental considerations are important to potential* EV drivers when looking to buy a car—particularly for respondents from Germany (72 percent), Belgium (69 percent), the UK (68 percent), and France (66 percent).
In all six countries except Norway, the two main barriers to not going electric are the uncertainty of the availability of publicly-accessible charging stations and the perception that EVs are still relatively expensive. Additional concerns include the amount of time required for charging sessions and the perception that EV charging costs more than fueling with petrol.
However, the majority of current EV drivers do not encounter problems during charging sessions (89 percent) which shows that as long as people are open to trying it out, they likely won’t look back.
Policies and tax credits have the power to turn potential* EV drivers into actual ones. 77 percent of people considering investing in an EV think that their government should prioritize policies that protect the environment. The transportation goal of the European Green Deal is seen as favorable by 70 percent of (potential*) EV drivers, and more than half say that the goal makes investing in an EV a more attractive prospect.
Current EV drivers prove extremely loyal when it comes to electric driving—82 percent say that they would opt for an EV again. Governmental policies with a focus on the environment, more (fast) charging ports across Europe, and an increase in affordable new EV models are strong motivators to ensure a seamless transition to eMobility.
At EVBox, we want to hold ourselves and our industry accountable for ensuring the availability of electric mobility to every driver and business—resulting in cleaner transport, a better-connected world, and a more sustainable future. Our market research shows citizens across Europe expect their governments, car manufacturers, charging station manufacturers, and other businesses to take an active role in protecting and positively impacting the environment. Together, we need to remove the main barriers to EV adoption so that future generations have the chance to experience a healthy planet connected by clean, electric mobility.Kristof Vereenooghe (CEO of EVBox)
This market research was executed by Ipsos at the request of EVBox. The survey was undertaken in six European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the UK) and 3,600 citizens—including 600 EV drivers.
EV drivers constitute hybrid, PHEV, and BEV drivers. *Potential EV drivers are respondents who indicated they would either definitely or most likely invest in an EV when considering the purchase of their next car.
For more information regarding specific numbers, feel free to reach out to Madeline Vidak (PR & Communications at EVBox).
Are you interested to read the country specific press releases of the EVBox Mobility Monitor? Click on the links for France, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Belgium, and the UK.
Want to learn more about the future of sustainable mobility? Download the full report of the EVBox Mobility Monitor here.
About EVBox
To build a sustainable future, EVBox empowers businesses and drivers to embrace electric mobility. EVBox’s charging solutions lay the foundations for a world where electric mobility is the new normal by giving EV drivers the ability to charge with confidence, allowing businesses to easily enter the market and scale their offering as demand grows, and evolving with the rapid pace of innovation. Founded in 2010, EVBox is now a market leader in electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVSE) who has delivered over 550,000 charging ports to partners and customers globally. The solutions EVBox is offering include charging stations for residential, commercial, and fast-charging network usage, as well as charging management software. More information can be found on evbox.com.