A new YouGov survey reveals that widespread misinformation continues to prevent drivers from making the switch to electric vehicles. The research, conducted for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit think tank, found troubling knowledge gaps among more than 1,000 non-EV owners.
The results paint a stark picture of public understanding.
Fifty-one percent of respondents scored two or fewer correct answers out of 10 true-or-false statements about EVs. Only 5% managed to identify eight or more correct answers.
Knowledge Directly Impacts Purchase Decisions
The survey data shows a direct link between misinformation and buying habits. Drivers who scored poorly on the knowledge test were 17 times more likely to choose a gas-powered vehicle for their next purchase.
Those with the best scores were three times more likely to go electric.
Fire safety misconceptions topped the list of persistent myths. Nearly half of respondents – 46% – incorrectly believed EVs catch fire more often than gas or diesel cars. Research has repeatedly disproven this claim, yet belief in this myth actually increased since the ECIU’s 2024 survey.
Environmental confusion also grew worse. Forty percent of drivers now think EVs produce the same lifetime emissions as gas cars – up from 35% last year.
Real-world data contradicts this belief. BMW recently confirmed its all-electric iX3 reaches emissions parity with the gas-powered X3 in just two years. After that point, the traditional car’s lifetime emissions far exceed the electric version.
Industry Leaders Call for Action
Colin Walker, the ECIU’s head of transport, says misinformation campaigns are actively harming the transition to cleaner vehicles.
“It is no surprise that sales of EVs in the UK continue to rise, since poll after poll finds that EV drivers love their cars and wouldn’t go back to petrol. But a constant stream of misinformation is skewing non-EV drivers’ knowledge of EVs.”
The cost misconception particularly concerns Walker. Two-thirds of respondents didn’t know EVs cost less to own and operate than gas cars.
“It’s clear that many are holding back from making the shift to EVs, leaving families across the UK stuck driving petrol and diesel cars that cost hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds more to run right in the midst of a cost of living squeeze,” Walker explained.
Perran Moon MP, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on EVs, called the findings a wake-up call for policymakers.
“Electric vehicles are cleaner, safer, and cheaper to own and run over the lifetime of the vehicle than petrol or diesel cars. But what this polling shows us is that many drivers of non-EVs are still misinformed about some of the most basic facts about electric vehicles.”
Moon referenced a 2022 House of Lords environment committee warning that identified misinformation as a major barrier to EV adoption.
“Now, we need to see robust action from the government, industry, and media to dispel the myths of misinformation and to ensure that drivers are equipped with the facts when deciding on their next purchase,” Moon added.
The survey results suggest that despite growing EV sales and improving technology, education efforts haven’t kept pace with the spread of outdated or false information about electric vehicles.
