38% of UK drivers rate their understanding of Electric Vehicles as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’

New research conducted by Peugeot UK has revealed that less than a quarter of UK drivers say they have a good understanding of electric vehicles.

The survey of 2,000 UK motorists found that only 23% thought their understanding of electric vehicles was ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, while 38% described their knowledge as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. 

Amazingly, less than half of those spoken to were aware that battery electric vehicles emit zero emissions while 12% also thought that plug-in hybrid cars and electric cars are exactly the same type of vehicle.

Perhaps less surprisingly, when asked about the EV charging network, 70% of respondents said they found the way different providers operate to be confusing. 

The same percentage also said they found the language surrounding electric vehicle power, battery capacity and efficiency difficult to understand, with only 31% aware that Kilowatt Hours (kWh) is the unit used to measure battery capacity in EVs.

A generation gap comes into play here as 46% of 18-24-year-olds correctly selected ‘Miles per kWh’ as the unit commonly used to measure efficiency in electric vehicles, compared to just 20% of the over 65s.

Of the former group, 58%  rated their knowledge as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ while, half of those over 65 admitted that their knowledge was ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

10% of Londoners thought their understanding of electric vehicles was excellent – the highest of any region – whereas people in the North East claim to be least knowledgeable about electric vehicles, with 53% saying their understanding is poor or very poor.

The survey also found that almost four out of five Londoners (79%) are familiar with the term ‘Ultra Low Emission Zone’ (ULEZ), which begs the question, how have one in five London-based motorists not heard of it?

Adam Wood, Managing Director, Peugeot UK, said: ‘Our research reveals there are still gaps in the public’s understanding of electric vehicles, with many motorists unaware that EVs such as the new Peugeot e-2008 offer zero tailpipe emissions and can be charged to 80% in just thirty minutes. PEUGEOT is committed to helping customers understand the benefits of going electric, so they can find the model that’s right for them.’