Mapping out the nation

Leading the charge is the nation’s capital, London, with 14% of motorists revealing they already own an EV or hybrid car, with Wales hot on their heels at 9%. It’s the North West showing the biggest desire to change however, with almost half (42%) of respondents revealing they are planning to buy an EV or hybrid as their next purchase.

This comes as a whopping 53% of Londoners admit it is ‘very important’ to them that air quality in their local area is improved, with almost two thirds (63%) noting they’ve become more concerned about their environmental impact in the past five years. Wales shares this concern with 38% citing improved air quality is important, followed by Northern Ireland at 37%.

Generation EV

As awareness continues to rise around environmental issues and sustainability, over half of respondents (53%) believe that EVs and hybrids are the future of personal transport, and it may be no surprise that Gen Y showed most concern for their carbon footprint when it comes to driving. Around half (51%) of those aged 18-24 revealed they’re concerned about the impact their driving has on the environment, compared to just a third (33%) of Gen X and just 8% for Boomers.

It's Gen Y who are also accelerating their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, with 38% of those aged 25-34 revealing they’ve paid additional travel costs to follow an eco-friendlier route, and a further 37% opted for a staycation rather than flying abroad. This is in comparison to those aged 55 and above, of which just 2% paid additional travel costs to follow an eco-friendlier route and 22% decided on a staycation.

Crossed wires

As two fifths (40%) admit lack of charging points was the biggest factor stopping them from buying an EV or hybrid sooner, Siemens reveals it is driving forward with plans to power the UK’s roads and fleets, and has already converted around 1,000 lampposts in the majority of London boroughs to provide EV charger points in partnership with ubitricity.

Currently, motorists guessed there were only between 100-200 charging points in London - just 10% of the actual figure of Siemens installations - and 27% believed there were no charge points near their home or workplace. Additionally, 36% noted concerns that there would not be enough battery for their travel requirements, believing that EVs and hybrids take over seven hours to charge, when in fact just one charging session* with a Siemens SiCharge AC22 could top up a car for a month or longer**.

Bernard Magee, Sales Director of Future Grid from Siemens says, “This research has highlighted just how eager British motorists are to reduce the impact their driving has on the environment, help reduce emissions and strive for cleaner air. Our partnership with ubitricity to convert lampposts into EV and hybrid chargers is one of many initiatives Siemens is undertaking to help futureproof our roads and help drivers make better choices when it comes to travel.