Skip to main content

A third of Brits willing to pay more to purchase electric cars

Over a third of the British public would be willing to pay more for a fully electric car than a petrol or diesel vehicle, said Baringa Partners. However, the business consultancy’s latest report also highlighted 35% of respondents think these vehicles are worse value for money. Called Is the UK ready for electric cars?, the document revealed 68% of respondents are willing to pay more for an electric car for its environmental benefits. Meanwhile, nearly half based their decision on the belief that electri
June 5, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Over a third of the British public would be willing to pay more for a fully electric car than a petrol or diesel vehicle, said Baringa Partners. However, the business consultancy’s latest report also highlighted 35% of respondents think these vehicles are worse value for money.


Called Is the UK ready for electric cars?, the document revealed 68% of respondents are willing to pay more for an electric car for its environmental benefits. Meanwhile, nearly half based their decision on the belief that electric cars are cheaper to run in the long term.

However, participants are only willing to pay a little extra with less than a fifth willing to spend up to 5% more for an electric car. Meanwhile, 13% of drivers are willing to pay an additional 10% for their next purchase.  

Baringa warns different driving habits can lead to a difference in the total cost of electric cars. Fleet buyers are set to save more fuel on fully electric models as the lower operating costs can make them equal to conventional vehicles. However, private buyers are not likely to see parity until the mid-2020s when electric car prices are expected to fall.

Oliver Rix, partner in energy and resources at Baringa Partners says the additional money people are willing to spend is unlikely to increase uptake significantly in the short-term.

“Therefore, the government needs to ensure grants for electric cars continue to be offered until prices fall more in line with their petrol and diesel counterparts.”

Rix also recommends car manufacturers should highlight the wider financial benefits of owning an electric car, such as the tax and fuel savings and promote cheaper models available.

City spotlights showed 41% of Londoners are likely to consider buying a fully electric car for their next purchase. This figure is followed by residents in Cardiff (37%), Glasgow (33%), Bristol (24%), Brighton (21%) and Nottingham (10%).

A full copy of the report is available on the %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external website false https://www.baringa.com/getmedia/81a8c49b-cb7a-4e23-9f94-0f475f3222ee/Is-the-UK-ready-for-Electric-Cars-FINAL-WEB/ false false%>.

Related Content

  • Fresh support from CrashMap
    August 17, 2012
    Less than a year after it launched, CrashMap.co.uk has been updated with the all the latest UK government data on road traffic crashes and new features to help community groups and campaigners. The website uses data collected by the police about road traffic crashes occurring on British roads where someone is injured. This data is approved by the National Statistics Authority and reported on by the Department for Transport each year. The site uses data obtained directly from official sources but compiled in
  • Boeing autonomous air vehicle completes first flight in Virginia
    January 30, 2019
    Boeing has completed a test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype in the US. The electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft was developed through a collaboration between Boeing subsidiary companies Boeing NeXt and Aurora Flight Services. Boeing NeXt works with regulatory agencies and industry partners to help introduce new mobility modes and ensure autonomous and piloted air vehicles safely coexist. Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager of Boeing NeXt, sa
  • Driverless Technology Conference
    July 22, 2016
    The Driverless Technology Conference (DTC’16), which takes place in Milton Keynes, UK, on 22 November, will focus on accelerating growth within driverless technology and maintaining the UK’s position at the forefront of industry development. DTC'16 addresses the new business models and use cases that are linked to driverless technology actively being pursued, researched and sold by major automakers and key disruptors in the market alike. Participants will be able to engage with senior-level decision
  • HNTB smart truck parking saves time and money
    September 7, 2014
    While truck parking may not be at the top of most transportation professionals’ minds, it is a subject HNTB is highlighting at its booth – and for good reasons. Commercial truck drivers spend 30 minutes searching for a place to park their rigs, often resorting to highway shoulders, exit ramps or the more risky abandoned and commercial lots.