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

  • April 9, 2019
    ITS America student essay competition: deadline 14 April
    The deadline for US college students to take part in ITS America’s annual essay competition is fast approaching – entries must be in by Sunday 14 April. The competition, sponsored by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), invites students of transportation, engineering and public policy to share ‘thought provoking’ visions for the future of transport. The topic is: ‘How do you envision disruptive technologies impacting transportation systems to make them safer, greener or smarter over the next 10 years?’ U
  • March 19, 2018
    Appyparking exhibits platform to help drivers and cities
    Appyparking is using Intertraffic to showcase a connected car platform that is said to bridge mapping, data, Internet of Things and payments drivers to provide users with more choice for destinations. The solution aims to save drivers time and money while also reducing congestion and pollution in cities. The product is part of the company’s ambition to create an urban transport application programming interface for kerbside navigation that can integrate into intelligent mobility applications which has
  • January 16, 2015
    ITS World Congress last call for papers
    The ITS World congress takes place in Bordeaux in October 2015. Authors who wish to submit technical, scientific and commercial papers and proposals for special interest session have just three days left. The deadline is Monday 19 January at 23.59 CET and no extensions will be granted. Submit your papers and proposals here now.
  • January 14, 2019
    Speed cameras targeted by French ‘yellow vest’ protesters
    Protesters in France have put more than half of the country’s speed cameras out of action, according to the country’s authorities. Interior minister Christophe Castaner said that almost 60% of France’s 3,200 cameras have been affected, the BBC reports. Castaner said that the cameras had been “neutralised, attacked, or destroyed” by ‘yellow vest’ protesters in a move which threatened road safety. Motorists are required by law to keep high-visibility vests, or ‘gilets jaunes’ in their cars. These yel