New research from Zipcar UK reveals the common areas of confusion halting electric vehicle (EV) uptake, with some Brits thinking they can’t run in the rain…!
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48% of non-EV drivers who would feel uncomfortable driving an electric vehicle would love to be able to try one
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78% of EV drivers across the UK wish they’d known more about electric vehicles before they started using one
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Uncertainty remains over EV range, charging, and what to do if you run out of battery
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TV personality Sam Thompson recounts his thoughts while trialling an electric car for the first time.
Monday 31st JULY, LONDON, UK: New research commissioned by Zipcar UK, the UK’s leading car-sharing club, reveals that whilst there has been a significant increase in the use of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK, many motorists still felt unsure around many ways in which the cars could be driven, impacting their adoption to EV driving.
In a poll surveying 2,000 people across the UK who had never driven an EV before, it emerged that 48 per cent of respondents who feel uncomfortable driving an EV, would like the chance to trial one.
However, in a separate poll surveying 500 EV drivers across the UK, it showed that many respondents had concerns about driving an EV before they drove one, including how many miles the car would travel before you needed to charge it (44%), what chargers you can and cannot use (42%), what to do if you run out of charge in the middle of the road (35%) and more than one in ten (13%) shockingly believed it wasn’t possible to drive an EV in the rain!
These common concerns could be eased by trialling an electric vehicle or adopting car-sharing through a car-sharing service such as Zipcar UK, so drivers can feel the unparalleled experience of driving electrically, without the pressure and expense of owning one. Like many of life’s firsts, driving an EV for the first-time is something that you never forget and will often talk about. Zipcar UK wants to recognise people’s first EV journey, by understanding their initial worries, thoughts, and concerns and to help generate feelings of ease and joy once they realise how simple it actually was.
Driving an EV for the first time is a daunting experience, one that puts many people off trying it for the first time. But, it’s an experience like nothing else - it puts a smile on your face.
TV Personality, Sam Thompson who recently trialled one of Zipcar UK’s EV’s for the first time said: "Driving an electric car is something I’ve been wanting to try for a while, but I was quite apprehensive about it, so having the opportunity to trial one through Zipcar was a great way to give it a go.
“Joining Zipcar was a breeze. When it came to booking, and then unlocking the car, the Zipcar app was super quick and easy to use, allowing me to get on with my trip, which was so fun! While it took a minute to get used to the silence of the electric engine and the power behind the wheel, I loved how smooth it felt on the road and I couldn’t help but get excited by it all - I felt like a kid again!"
