UK drivers 'not ready' to buy electric cars as Labour faces 'biggest concern' over net zero plans

A recent survey also highlighted how 90 per cent of drivers were "not ready" to purchase an electric car despite incentives from the UK Government.

Under the current requirements, 100 per cent of all new car sales will need to be zero emission by 2035 as polluting diesel and petrol cars are phased out.

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These changes form part of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate (ZEV) which requires at least 28 per cent of new car sales to be electric by the end of this year in order to meet the 2035 deadline.

Driver appetite for electric cars still remains relatively low with figures recording how EVs represent just 2.7 per cent of all vehicles on the road.

Greg Wilson, CEO and car insurance expert at Quotezone.co.uk, said: "We're only ten years away from the proposed ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles but it seems here in the UK we have a long way to go, both in improving the infrastructure and motorists enthusiasm for electric vehicles.

"The reluctance to switch is understandable. The cost of purchasing an EV is expensive and the lack of public charging points makes reality a challenge. 16 per cent of the motorists we quizzed said this was one of their biggest concerns."

A further 57 per cent of respondents said they had no plan to go electric, with 14 per cent saying they planned to change just before the ban.

In a bid to encourage drivers to make the switch to electric 54 per cent of drivers want the Government to provide more grants and tax benefits, while others (48 per cent) supported the installation of a free home charger.

Wilson added: "There has been considerable investment recently in the infrastructure. In the last 12 months, the number of charging points increased by 38 per cent, with the Government’s goal set at 300,000 public charging stations by 2030."

There are currently some grant funding options available such as the Electric Vehicle Charge Point Grant which offers drivers either £350 or 75 per cent off the cost of buying and installing a socket.

Wilson commented: "There are other concerns to address around low mileage, the costs of parts and repairs, the expense of installing home chargers and resale prices.

"The future may well be electric - but we’re quite a way off making it a realistic option for the majority of UK households."

The survey also found that over a third of drivers would be willing to switch to electric if they received money off the vehicle purchase price.

Last December, a consultation was launched to see whether manufacturers were happy with the progress of the ZEV mandate and the proposal to allow the sale of new plug-in hybrid vehicles until 2035.

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The consultation stated: "This Government is determined to support automotive companies as they revamp their production lines, adjust their business plans, and develop the technology needed for the next generation of zero emission vehicles."