According to one of France’s largest car brands, more than three-quarters of Britons don’t fully understand what electric cars are and what their benefits are.
Peugeot says it surveyed 2,000 UK motorists and only 23 per cent rated their knowledge of electric vehicles (EVs) as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, while nearly two in five said their knowledge of battery-powered cars was ‘poor’ or ‘excellent’. very’ is. arm’.
That’s despite the fact that the country’s motorists must face the reality that they won’t be able to buy a new electric car from the showroom for less than seven years, when the government bans the sale of petrol and diesel models in 2030 by the government. is entered.
According to mainstream French car brands, only 23% of Britons have a good or excellent understanding of electric vehicles and their benefits
Peugeot makes popular modern petrol and electric models, including the 208 supermini and the 2008 SUV, as well as some of the most iconic cars of yesteryear, such as the 205 GTI hot hatch from the 1980s and early 1990s.
It says there are ‘significant gaps’ in the UK public’s understanding of electric vehicles, with less than half aware that battery electric vehicles do not emit tailpipe emissions.
Still, it seems the French brand failed to ask drivers if they were aware of the environmental impact of producing the batteries used to power EVs, which is one of the biggest criticisms that has had a major impact. number of motorists.
Why don’t people understand electric cars?
A surprising number of motorists who completed the survey were unaware of the differences between hybrid and fully electric cars.
About 12 percent believe that a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) is exactly the same type of car as a battery electric vehicle, despite the former having a supplemental internal combustion engine and a much shorter electric range.
There also remains confusion among the wider UK driving public about how long electric cars take to charge.
Less than a third of respondents said they know that the latest electric models can be charged from zero to 80 percent in just 30 minutes, provided they are compatible with 100kW fast charging devices.
There are also many misunderstandings about the public charging network: 70 percent of respondents say they find the way different providers work confusing.
The same percentage also find the language around power, battery capacity and efficiency difficult to understand, with only 31 percent aware that kilowatt hours (kWh) is the unit used to measure battery capacity in EVs.
In contrast, when asked which powertrain they know best, 67 percent said petrol and diesel, compared to only 7 percent who chose electric powertrains.
A surprising number of motorists who completed the survey were also unaware of the differences between hybrid and fully electric cars, such as the Peugeot e-208 (pictured)
Clear generation gap when it comes to EV knowledge
The research also shows that young people are more likely to think they have a good understanding of electric vehicles: 58 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds rate their knowledge as good or excellent.
Meanwhile, half of those over 65 rate their understanding of electric vehicles as poor or very poor.
There was also a big difference in knowledge of EV terminology: 46 percent of the younger members of the panel correctly chose “Miles per kWh” as the unit commonly used to measure EV efficiency, compared to just 20 percent of over 65s.
However, it is important to note that less than half of younger drivers know that EV efficiency is measured in miles per kWh, which is very low, especially when you consider that most drivers know that miles per gallon (mpg) are used to measure the efficiency of petrol and diesel models.
Other age group differences include exactly half of 18 to 24 year olds knowing that EV drivers often do not have to pay for parking in some UK cities, compared to just over a quarter (28 per cent ) of the over 65s.
Young people’s knowledge also extends to other types of electric vehicles, with 64 per cent knowing that electric vans are eligible for a UK government subsidy – a fact only known to 26 per cent of the over-65s.
Londoners know the most about electric cars
Drivers’ perceived knowledge of electric cars also varies across the country, Peugeot claims.
An impressive 10 per cent of Londoners rate their EV knowledge as excellent – the highest of any region – while people in the North East claim to have the least EV knowledge, with 53 per cent saying their knowledge is poor or very poor.
The poll also surveyed motorists across the country about clean air zones, with a relatively small number of Londoners (79 per cent) familiar with the term Ultra Low Emission Zone – or ULEZ – despite its introduction over four years ago and widespread coverage on plans to expand the £12.50 per day charging zone to every borough in the capital from 29 August.
Less surprisingly, only 45 percent of people from the Northeast are familiar with the term ULEZ, as many are unlikely to drive to the capital often.
Commenting on the survey results, Adam Wood, general manager at Peugeot UK, said: ‘Our research shows that there are still gaps in the public’s understanding of electric vehicles, with many drivers unaware that electric vehicles such as the new Peugeot e- 2008 have no exhaust. emissions and can be charged to 80 percent in just thirty minutes.”
Peugeot is one of several mainstream car brands that has already set out its goals and target dates to stop selling petrol and diesel cars.
The French maker says it will have a 100 per cent electric version of every car across its model range by 2025, and will only sell electric cars in the UK from 2030.
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