Charge anxiety overtakes range as biggest barrier to EV adoption
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Anxiety over charging is now the biggest barrier to EV adoption, new research shows. Concern the public charging infrastructure is inadequate has overtaken range anxiety as the biggest barrier to electric car uptake amongst private car buyers, ahead of cost and quality.
![[Buyers are open to buying an EV with only one in seven of those in the market to replace their car in the next year saying they will never buy electric, What Car? research found]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/14/93236335-14201883-image-a-11_1734447125820.jpg)
Nearly two fifths of private car buyers cited worries about charging infrastructure as the main reason they aren't considering choosing a pure electric car, an exclusive survey by What Car? revealed. A recent poll by leading EV charge point app ZapMap found that the public charging network is as important as ever.
![[61% would consider an electric vehicle if the Government implemented one of four financial incentives - from cutting VAT on public charging to reintroducing an EV grant]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/17/14/93236219-14201883-image-a-9_1734446998668.jpg)
Half of EV owners using public charging at least once a month, even when they have a homecharger installed at their residence. While the average satisfaction rating for the UK's public charging network in ZapMap's research was just 64 out of 100, three in five respondents said that public charging had improved in the past year.
Concern that the public charging infrastructure is inadequate has overtaken range anxiety as the biggest barrier to electric car uptake amongst private car buyers. The second biggest concern for the 2,000 drivers who responded was the high cost of new EVs with 34 per cent saying it was the biggest hurdle, according to the What Car? survey.
Meanwhile range slipped down to third place in the barrier ranking, as it was the main concern for only 25 per cent of buyers. Overall buyers are open to buying an EV with only one in seven of those in the market to replace their car in the next year saying they will never buy electric.
