Rising costs at the pump are driving a major shift in driver attitudes, with new research revealing that over 70% of non-EV owners are now more open to going electric.
A survey conducted by Electrifying.com of 1,000 in-market car buyers found that 73% of respondents without an electric vehicle say recent petrol price spikes have made them seriously consider making the switch. The findings suggest that geopolitical uncertainty and unstable fuel costs are pushing running costs to the top of buyers’ priorities.
This study coincides with research that revealed saving money is set to overtake environmental concerns as the main reason UK homeowners choose electric vehicles, which we reported on yesterday.
Ginny Buckley, CEO of Electrifying.com, said: ‘With EV drivers paying just pennies per mile to charge at home, it’s no wonder volatile fuel prices are pushing people to rethink what they drive. We’ve seen a near 50% surge in traffic to Electrifying.com week on week since the start of the US-Iran war, and that’s being reflected across the industry.’
When charging an EV at home can cost as little as 1.8p per mile, compared with 14.5p per mile for petrol, the financial logic seem clear.
In the meantime, the used EV market has matured dramatically: second-hand Nissan Leafs start from around £1,400, Renault Zoes from under £5,000, and Tesla Model 3s – the UK’s most popular used EV in 2025 – from below £10,000. New EV sales rose nearly 25% in March 2026 compared to the same month last year, while used electric car sales jumped 46% in 2025.
However, the company warns that not everyone can access these savings. Around one-third of UK drivers lack off-street parking and must rely on public chargers, where costs can be up to ten times higher than home charging. Public charging is also taxed at four times the rate of domestic electricity, while fuel duty on petrol has been frozen for 15 years.
Buckley added: ‘Millions of drivers will depend on public charging to run an EV. Yet they’re the ones paying the highest price. Charging at home can cost as little as 1.8p per mile on an off-peak tariff, but if you rely on the public network that cost can rise to around 18p per mile; ten times as much, and often more than running an efficient petrol car.
‘Much of that added cost is down to the fact that public charging is taxed at four times the rate of charging at home, which simply isn’t fair. The Government can’t say it wants drivers to go electric while taxing those without a driveway the most. That’s not progress – it’s a penalty.
‘This current crisis shows that the Government should think carefully about introducing new taxes, like pay-per-mile, on electric driving. Millions of drivers have already made the switch, encouraged in part by the promise of lower running costs – now isn’t the moment to start adding extra costs on to those who’ve done the right thing.
‘Fuel duty has been frozen for 15 years, so penalising EV drivers sends entirely the wrong signal.’
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