A new report from the Automobile Association (AA) claims that some 40 per cent of Irish car owners say that they would welcome a scrappage scheme aimed at getting drivers to switch from diesel power to electric cars.
A major influence on purchasing decisions
On top of that, one third of drivers say that such a scheme would: "Have a major influence on their decision when next they buy a car." The AA says that it has polled some 7,000 of its members to find this data.
"EVs are only 2.6% of new car sales but that is a figure that is going to shoot upwards." Says Director of Consumer Affairs Conor Faughnan. "Last year just over 1,000 were sold. This year that number looks likely to triple. The quality and variety of EVs at different prices and market segments is improving all the time. But as of right now even with the state supports that are available an electric vehicle is just a bit too expensive for most motorists buying a new car.
Turn the EV trickle into a flood
"Irish motorists may not be buying too many pure electric cars yet but many of us want to and are just waiting for a nudge of help from the state." Says Faughnan. "The existing supports reduce the price by up to €5,000 and contribute €600 towards installing a charge point at home. That helps, and there are also the much lower running costs to think about, but if we want to turn the trickle into a flood the State needs to do more."
The AA claims that buyers are now becoming more au fait with electric car tech, and so previous worries about range anxiety and charging points are starting to wane.
The cars are less strange to the mainstream motorist now" says Faughnan. "AA has invested in specialised AA Patrol vans to deal with EVs using charging technology that we have developed. Those vans are already in use every day. When mobile phones came along 20 years or so ago it took time to adjust. 12 years later we all had smartphones. Electric cars are coming to us in the same way. You have to be fair to those people who took government at its word and invested their money in diesels. Drivers care hugely about the environment and will embrace new technology but it is important to treat them properly and encourage them along."
Government unlikely to act
This survey does not, it must be said, make it much more likely that a scrappage scheme would be forthcoming. The Government has previously noted that scrappage would generally only be offered on older, more polluting models and given the still pretty stiff price of a new electric car, even a scrappage grant of, say, €1,500 to €2,000 isn't going to be enough to bridge the finance gap for the sort of buyer who'd be trading in a ten-year old car.