Renault: 35% of British motorists likely to switch to EV following Electric Car Grant

More than one in three – or 35% – of UK motorists are now likely to switch from an internal combustion engine (ICE) car to an EV, according to a recent survey by Renault.

The study was conducted by the French manufacturer ahead of the opening of its EV-only ‘rnlt’ store at the Battersea Power Station shopping centre in West London. Renault found that 85% of those asked those between ages 17 and 34 were the most probable to drop ICE in favour of EV.

They cited the UK Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) as their main reason for dropping petrol or diesel in favour of electric. When introduced in July this year, the government announced that the ECG would automatically offer reductions of either £1,500 or £3,750 from their list price.

Those aged over 55 were less likely to make the switch with just 27% of respondees saying they would do so. Respondees  in that age bracked cited more charging facilities (47%), greater range (45%) and lower asking prices (34%) as the biggest barriers against making the transition from ICE to EV.

Conversely, those in the youngest age group from 17 to 24 said their biggest priority was fast charging (48%), longer range (39%), and more public charging (36%). Renault’s study also found that 63% of men asked described themselves as “very likely” to buy an electric car within the next two years as opposed to 46% of women.

Nationwide, Renault’s findings showed that those most likely to change from ICE to EV lived in London, with 80% of respondees saying they would be willing to do so. Northern Ireland (62%), the North West (59%), the West Midlands (56%), and the East Midlands (54%) rounded out the top five.

Meanwhile, the South East and South West expressed the most reluctance with 45% and 39% of those asked saying they would be keen to switch.

When it comes to speeding up the mass-adoption of EVs in the UK, two-time British Touring Car Champion Jason Plato – who competed for Renault in the BTCC during its 1990s heyday – has joined the likes of Jonny Smith in improving education around EVs.

“I believe that education is key to accelerating interest in electric car buying,” said Plato. “While we have to respect people’s concerns, many of them are looking outdated as some of the latest cars to be launched offer incredible technology at great value, including long battery range and running costs that mean they can be much cheaper to own over their lifetime than a car with an [internal combustion] engine.”

After the application of the ECG, all of Renault’s EV fall under the £37,000 threshold. The Renault 5 and Renault 4 are priced from £21,495 and £25,495 respectively. Meanwhile, the larger Megane and Scenic start at £30,995 and £35,495 apiece.