34 per cent of Irish motorists either already have, or are planning to, switch to electric cars in the face of the growing fuel crisis. 49 per cent told a survey carried out by The AA that they will switch to a hybrid for their next car, but 57 per cent said that they were still hesitant to make the EV switch due to worries about charging infrastructure.
Only nine per cent say an EV is suitable
Interestingly, of the 4,200 Irish drivers polled by The AA, only nine per cent said that an EV would be 'suitable' for their 'driving needs' which suggests that many see an electric switch as something of a distress purchase thanks to spiking energy costs.
When asked why people would be hesitant to switch to an electric vehicle, 57 per cent said it was due to a lack of or insufficient charging infrastructure, 45 per cent said it was due to range anxiety or technological uncertainty and 58 per cent said it would be due to cost.
Lack of information?
A concerning 21 per cent said that there was a lack of information about EVs (which suggests that they have not really been paying attention...) while 17 per cent said that there is 'limited availability and choice of models.'
On top of all that, 52 per cent said that the Government's plans to have one million electric cars on the road by 2030 were 'not achievable.' 30 per cent were a little more optimistic, and said that it 'might be achievable.'
19 per cent still want to buy diesel
The AA survey also asked respondents what type of vehicle they would choose if they were to purchase another or a different one in the next year; 49 per cent said hybrid, 15 per cent said petrol, 19 per cent said diesel and 14 per cent said a battery electric vehicle (BEV).
"Our survey highlights that there appears to be a greater urgency on the part of the car-buying public to move to electric or partially electric vehicles, with this accelerated by ever-rising fuel costs. It's more than 40 per cent more expensive to fill an average petrol car for the year now, compared to 12 months ago and with a greater range of electric vehicles on sale now, with 57 different fully electric models now on sale from 27 brands, there is now a very healthy choice," said AA Ireland Head of Communications, Paddy Comyn.
According to the AA's figures, the cost of fueling a car for a year has risen by €777 on average.