What electric car drivers really want

What electric car drivers really want

According to 75% of electric car drivers, the driving experience and technology of electric vehicles are a main reason for switching to electric driving. However, not all drivers are satisfied yet. These results are part of this year's EV Driver Survey, the largest survey of electric car drivers in Europe. The study also shows that 70% of drivers prefer an all-electric vehicle to a hybrid due to the environmental benefits. 55% of respondents prefer fully electric vehicles due to cost advantages. However, almost half of electric car drivers would like better availability of charging points.

The study shows that e-car drivers find the customer experience when charging to be inadequate. This is due to the perceived lack of charging points and poor access to charging options. According to e-car drivers, the most important factor for a widespread switch to e-mobility is a better battery range, followed by lower acquisition costs and better availability of charging points. In addition, only a third of those surveyed are of the opinion that charging points on motorways achieve the necessary charging speeds. For retail and catering locations, this number even drops to a fifth of the study participants.

36% of e-car drivers now have four charging cards or more for public charging. That's an increase of 21% over last year. Interoperability is very important to e-car drivers, regardless of how many cards they currently use. Overall, more than half of those surveyed are willing to pay more for access to the entire charging infrastructure with just one card.

With the increasing spread of electric cars and increasing battery ranges, the number of charging cards required is very important, especially for the 40% of drivers who travel to other European countries. Two fifths of these drivers had problems accessing charging points abroad. In addition, 65% of drivers would drive more often to destinations where charging options are available. 54% of respondents say the availability of charging points influences where they shop and where they drive.

Commenting on the results, Melanie Lande, CEO of Shell Recharge Solutions Europe, said: "The entire industry needs to understand the challenges faced by electric car drivers in order to make the switch easier for the masses. That's why the results of our study are so crucial. There is clearly increasing enthusiasm for electric cars. Drivers are excited about the technology, the cost and the sustainability. At the same time, it is clear that an inadequate customer experience is one of the biggest hurdles to widespread adoption. To maintain the current momentum and the To further encourage the transition to electric cars, we must address these challenges. Drivers must feel they have sufficient access to charging points that offer them a convenient, seamless and reliable charging experience. We are listening to drivers as we focus on improving the user experience. We want to encourage the entire industry to do the same.

Lower total cost of ownership is the biggest contributor to further adoption of electric vehicles. However, 68% of e-car drivers are worried about rising electricity prices. More than two thirds (72%) of drivers assume that the increasing spread of electric cars will reduce acquisition and operating costs.

This year, almost half (47%) of respondents said lower purchase costs are one of the three main factors driving greater EV adoption. That's an increase of 10% compared to 2021. After ease of use, cost is also the second most important factor when choosing a home charging point.

The widespread distribution of electric cars not only brings environmental benefits. Almost three quarters of electric car drivers see the mass use of electric vehicles as crucial to combating climate change. Almost 60% of EV drivers believe that smart charging will encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles.

The main reason for switching to electric driving is environmental impact, although this aspect drops from 38% last year to 35% in this year's study. The trend of electric car drivers wanting to purchase a fully electric vehicle next has increased significantly. Three quarters of those surveyed plan to buy a fully electric car next - last year this was only 62%. The proportion of those who want to switch back to traditional combustion engines has halved from four to two percent.

More than half of drivers are willing to accept slower charging speeds in order to increase their use of renewable energy. 40% of those surveyed would even take a further journey to charge at a charging point with renewable energies. The study also shows that almost a third of drivers want to charge their car with electricity generated at home or with renewable electricity. This also shows that charging with sustainably generated energy is one of the main requirements of electric car drivers.