A survey of more than 2,000 owners of Volkswagen Group cars in Ireland found that 85% of electric vehicle (EV) owners plan to stick with electric when buying their next car.

 New research has also found that half of non-EV owners, 50%, believe they will own a fully electric vehicle within the next 10 years.

The online survey, which was carried out by Core Research for Volkswagen Group Ireland as part of a white paper on EV ownership involved 708 EV owners and 1,605 owners of conventional petrol or diesel models.  The results show the perceptions of EV ownership held by non-EV owners are radically different to the actual experience of owners.

Once motorists make the switch to an EV, they tend to remain steadfast in their choice. The survey found that 60% of EV owners “love their EV” and will not be returning to petrol or diesel cars. A further 25% said that, while it took some adjustment to switch to an EV, they were happy they had done so and would likely stick with an EV for their next vehicle. Just 2% of EV owners said they wanted to return to owning a petrol or diesel car.

More than half of non-EV owners, 55%, said they were not looking to buy an EV, but 45% said they could be convinced to switch. A total of 50% of non-EV drivers said they expected to be driving a fully electric car within the next ten years, with 20% of this total expecting this to be the case in the next four years. 

Participants were asked to choose from a list of potential issues that would determine their next choice of car. The survey showed that non-EV owners are much more likely to perceive matters such as charging frequency and the range of EVs to be of concern than the actual owners of EV cars. 

A total of 60% of non-EV drivers said they would be concerned or don’t feel fully informed about the possibility of running out of charge in an EV, but just 25% of owners shared this concern. A total of 43% of non-EV drivers said the same about how often EVs require charging, compared with 10% of EV owners.

A similar gap in perception and ownership was evident when non-EV owners were asked to estimate the frequency of charging EV ownership requires. A total of 20% of non-EV drivers think they would need to fully charge their car at home every day, but just 3% of EV owners said they do this while 44% of non-EV drivers said they would struggle with or have reservations about how often they would need to charge their car compared with just 14% of EV drivers.

The survey found little difference in the amount of annual kilometres EV and non-EV drivers said they drive each year. A total of 24% of both EV and non-EV drivers said they drive between 15,000 to 19,999 kms annually while 29% of EV drivers said they drive 20,000 kms or more, very close to the 32% of non-EV drivers who said they drive the same distance annually. A total of 89% of EV owners said they had a parking space or driveway at home where they could charge their car and that it was already fitted with a home charging unit while 75% of non-EV drivers said they had a parking space or driveway where they could install a home charging unit.

The survey also found that the vast majority of EV drivers are generally satisfied with their choice of car. EV owners praised electric car traits such as a premium feel, innovation and the seamless integration of software and apps. Only a small proportion said they were “not satisfied” or “very unsatisfied” with aspects of ownership such as tyre wear (11%).

The findings showed, however, that some EV owners (28%) still have concerns about the practicalities of using public charging facilities while 53% said that this is a part of ownership they have struggled with or still have reservations about.

The findings suggest that similar concerns may be holding non-EV owners back from switching to an EV and could be addressed by the provision of improved public charging facilities. 

When asked about areas where car companies could do more to inform and support customers, 52% of EV owners and 66% of non-EV owners said they would like more information and reassurance on the battery life and warranty of EVs. 

Manufacturers have sought to reassure both EV owners and would-be owners of the extensive warranties they offer while also highlighting research showing the reliability of electric car batteries and their ability to retain performance over time.

Responding to the survey’s findings, Volkswagen Group Ireland said the rate of adoption of EVs could be increased by promoting the benefits of EV ownership to more motorists and seeking to dispel myths and misinformation. The company has also urged policymakers to increase incentives for car buyers choosing EVs and to accelerate the roll out of public charging infrastructure. 

Pierre Boutin, Chief Executive of Volkswagen Group Ireland said: “There has been a slowdown in the rate of EV adoption, and this has occurred for a number of reasons. Some motorists have genuinely held, but often misplaced, concerns about the practicality of EV ownership while others are uncertain about the benefits of owning an EV due to myths and misinformation.  

“If we are going to successfully transition to electric motoring and meet emissions targets, there is a need for better public charging infrastructure and for more incentives, but there is also a knowledge gap, which can and should be addressed. The survey findings show that the perceptions of EV ownership do not match the lived experience of actual EV owners. They also clearly show that there is an opportunity for policymakers and manufacturers to provide better and more targeted information to the motoring public. Collectively, we need to highlight the measures already in place to reassure buyers that they are making the right decision when buying their next car.”