Motorists Over 55 Reluctant to Go Electric

The UK has seen a rapid rise in the popularity of plug-in vehicles as new registrations of electric cars reached more than 246,000 at the end of October 2019. This growing demand for greener vehicles saw Plymouth City Council pledge an increase of 100 electric charge points across the city. But while there’s no doubt that electric cars have rapidly gained popularity in the last few years, new research reveals that drivers over the age of 55 generally don’t want one.

Plymouth Home To Nearly 3,000 Electric Cars

At least one in around 2,953 cars on Plymouth roads are electric, but anxiety about running out of battery power is leading to many motorists over the age of 55 feeling reluctant to embrace the new electric revolution. Research by KMPG found that younger drivers were more accepting of using a plug-in car for their day-to-day transport. While younger drivers are open to the idea of electric vehicles, their chief concern, particularly those aged between 18 and 34, was the time it takes to charge the vehicle, rather than the distance it would take them.

Homecharge Scheme

While vehicle expert and driver reviews, show that style, size, performance and safety are still important to drivers, those interested in purchasing an electric car consider having the ability to charge at home as their most important requirement. In response to this, Plymouth City Council has introduced a home charge scheme where electric car owners can claim up to 75%, capped at £500, off the total costs of installing a charge point at their home.

Funding Pledge For Charge Points

This summer, the city council also pledged to introduce a further 100 charge points across the city, after the council was awarded £7.6 million Transforming Cities Fund to encourage people to change how they travel in and around Plymouth. It’s expected that electric charge points will begin popping up at business premises all over Plymouth. With this rise in the availability of public chargers in Plymouth and other cities across the UK, combined with extended driving ranges and a fall in electric vehicle prices, there could be as many as 500,000 100% electric vehicles on UK roads by 2025.

As car manufacturers continue to create plug-in cars with an improved driving range and lower purchase price, combined with Plymouth’s pledge to increase charge points, the future of driving in the city looks electric.