Research shows 58% of EV drivers are no longer affected by range anxiety

New research from ev.energy has found that less than a quarter of drivers are no longer concerned about their EV range meaning they can complete long distance journeys.

Ev.energy, a smart cloud-based platform that automatically optimises EV charging, has published new research today – from a survey they conducted of 1,430 EV drivers –  which highlights that 58% of people who drive electric cars are now confident in planning long-distance trips and that over three-quarters of respondents (77%) have never, rarely or occasionally experienced concerns about their EV’s range.

One of the main reasons for this, according to the survey, was the increase of home chargers and the development of better batteries.

Against this backdrop, public charger use has also increased by 92% for rural-based EV owners and 94% have access to a home charger. In addition, researchers found that in suburban and urban areas, 94% will charge away from home when needed, despite 92% and 88% respectively having access to an at-home charger.

However, despite the research showing a positive attitude switch towards EV charging – even after the government decided to delay the ban to buy new petrol-fuelled cars – over half of EV drivers still don’t feel they’re enough public EV chargers in convenient locations across the UK (52%).

‘This data shows us EV drivers are confident in their at-home charging options,’ said William Goldsmith, head of grid and data services at ev.energy. ‘However, its vital to invest more in supporting the public charging infrastructure and allowing for more affordable public charging. This will ensure drivers feel confident in making the switch from petrol to electric and allow those that don’t have access to a driveway to reap the cost and sustainability benefits of an EV.’

Following this, the research outlined that a mere 6% of the people surveyed – research by ev.energy was conducted in August 2023 – said there was enough EV charge points near to them. As a result, people driving EV’s are having to spend more money charging their cars at home so they can travel further to reach public charge points.

Image: Ralph Hutter