While electric cars have become regular headline news, and are high in the minds of many motorists, it seems that they still have some work to do to convince many drivers. According to a survey by Allianz Insurance, only 44 per cent of Irish drivers feel that an electric car would work for them as daily transport.
Lack of confidence in charging network
That compares to 80 per cent who said that they're confident in petrol power, and 77 per cent who still have confidence in diesel. Hybrid cars hit a 60 per cent confidence level.
Then again, perhaps the lack of confidence is more to do with the charging network than necessarily the cars themselves. A mere 24 per cent said that they would be confident of taking an electric car on a long cross-country drive, with only 20 per cent saying that they would be confident of finding a charging point when they needed one.
Another damming indictment of the charging network is that drivers in Connacht and Ulster were confident that they would not be able to find a charging point, and according to Allianz: "There was an overwhelming belief that charging point infrastructure is subpar in Ireland, with 45 per cent believing availability is poor in Irish cities other than Dublin, 61 per cent thinking it's poor in all suburban areas, and 79 per cent stating that availability of charging points in rural Ireland is very poor."
Oddly, only 45 per cent said that they would be confident of doing the same cross-country journey in a hybrid car, which suggest something of a conflation of electric and hybrid power in buyers' minds.
Dublin and Leinster most likely to go electric
18-25 year olds are the most confident in electric cars, and there is a female/male split, with men being more confident in both hybrid and fully electric cars, and an urban/rural split too - confidence in electric cars is higher in Dublin and Leinster than in the rest of the country.
Women and those aged over 55 years were the least likely to drive an electric car across Ireland while men from Leinster (excluding Dublin) and aged over 55 years were the most likely to do so.
50 per cent of 18-24 year olds would buy an electric car, compared to 33 per cent of those over 25. 35 per cent would choose a hybrid, but 29 per cent of those from Connacht and Ulster would still buy diesel. 24 per cent of those in Dublin would buy a petrol-engined car. 70 per cent of drivers said that they will change their car in the next four years, but only one-fifth, 20 per cent, said that they will buy electric.
80 per cent think electric cars are too expensive
80 per cent of drivers said that they perceive electric cars as being too expensive, and 57 per cent said that they would be more likely to buy one if costs decreased. 70 per cent of those aged 18-24 were more likely to purchase if the price decreased, while 62 per cent of those aged 25-34 were more likely. More affluent social classes were 61 per cent more likely to buy. 18 per cent of those surveyed said they would still be unlikely to buy an electric car if the cost reduced and with men from Dublin and those aged over 55 years most likely to think electric cars are expensive.
Insurance costs (Allianz is an insurance company, after all) were also factored in. 58 per cent reckoned that going electric would make no difference to their premiums. 25 per cent believed their premium would be cheaper, and 17 per cent thought it would be more expensive.
By comparison, 65 per cent reckon that going hybrid would make no difference to their premiums, 22 per cent think it would be cheaper, and 13 per cent say that it would become more expensive.
Only half of all buyers are aware that electric cars qualify for the lowest motor tax rate, and only a third know about the VRT rebates. 34 per cent are aware of the €5,000 SEAI grant. Around a third know about the potential reduction in running costs of driving an electric car, but more than half know of and are aware of the potential extra costs of the carbon tax.
There is frustration, too. In spite of generally growing awareness of climate issues, 64 per cent of those polled agreed that "The new carbon taxes will devalue your current car and make it too expensive to run". Diesel car owners aged 35-44 and living in Munster were most likely to feel this way, at between 72-75 per cent.
Allianz's final conclusion on all of this? "It is clear that charger infrastructure is needed throughout the island to quell drivers' fears, along with increased education about the versatility and capabilities of fully electric cars."