There is an increasingly positive picture for EV adoption amongst private motorists today with fewer barriers holding drivers back from making the switch to electric according to analysis of the 2025 Europcar Mobility Group UK.
However, whilst more drivers said that none of the barriers cited, including knowledge and charging infrastructure apply to them, increasing from 10% in 2024 to 13% in 2025, they said that the high initial purchase and maintenance costs continue to get in the way of making the switch.
The main barrier is cost which stands at 58.7% in 2025, down from 63.9% in 2024 whilst the lack of charging infrastructure is holding back 41.9% of drivers, down from 46.5% the year before.
15% of drivers find a lack of model choice and vehicle availability is a barrier to switching and the understanding of EV ownership prevents 19.9% from switching to an EV.
Sarah Clarke, Consumer Marketing Manager at Europcar, commented:
“It is encouraging to see driver confidence in electric vehicles increasing as we get closer to the end of petrol and diesel vehicle production. However, there is still some hesitation holding back a significant number of drivers from switching to zero-emissions.
“Since we first added electric vehicles to our rental fleet, we have seen concerns quickly dissipate once a driver gets behind the wheel of an EV. We provide a detailed handover for new EV drivers to help them get to know their vehicle and take to the road happy and confident.
“The purchase cost of EVs is falling more in line with petrol and diesel vehicles but they remain out of reach for many people. This is another area in which rental can support the transition to greener motoring as it removes the high up front cost of purchase while allowing drivers to cut their emissions when they chose to rent. Our growing range of rental options and vehicle choices mean we have an EV to suit every journey.”
Europcar is committed to increasing the range of choice in its zero-tailpipe emissions fleet to help more drivers discover out how electric cars can fit into their daily lives and help motorists make the switch to electric driving.
Customers choosing to rent an electric vehicle also get access to the full suite of Octopus Electroverse features, including a real-time charger map with availability, speed and cost details as well as route planning functionality based on range and chargers along their journey.
In addition, Europcar regularly updates its free digital EV Guide and Knowledge Hub to help motorists gain a better understanding of living with an EV. Their beginner’s guide to EVs answers the most common questions and helps drivers make sense of all the buzzwords and acronyms as well as explaining how switching to an EV will help them save money and reduce emissions.
The guide also covers the EV incentives that are available in the UK and shows how to charge an EV and explains all the different types of chargers.
For more information, please visit@ www.europcar-mobility-group.com.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Images courtesy of Europcar Mobility Group
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