Electric car owners want cheaper and faster public charging, according to new government research published by the Department for Transport.
Nearly half of EV drivers identified cheaper prices as their top priority for improving public charging networks. Faster charging times ranked second at 45%.
More than a quarter of drivers also want better reliability from public chargers.
The findings come from the first comprehensive study of UK electric vehicle ownership patterns. Ipsos surveyed 1,007 battery electric and plug-in hybrid owners during November last year.
Most drivers feel confident about long trips – 58% said they’re comfortable taking extended journeys and can easily find public chargers when needed.
Pure battery electric vehicle owners showed even stronger confidence. Sixty-four percent felt good about their car’s long-range capability, while 61% said locating chargers wasn’t difficult.
But problems persist with the charging experience itself.
Around half of battery EV owners reported that chargers are often broken or hard to use. Fifty-five percent said pricing isn’t clear enough.
Home charging dominates daily use
The vast majority of electric car owners charge at home rather than relying on public networks. Ninety-one percent of battery EV drivers have access to home charging.
Seventy-six percent installed dedicated home chargers.
Only 9% depend entirely on public charging away from home.
For drivers without home charging, workplace car parks and dedicated charging hubs serve as the most common alternatives. Business and organization car parks also see heavy use.
Most weekly driving stays well under 100 miles – 64% of owners cover that distance or less each week.
Just 12% drive more than 200 miles weekly. Meanwhile, 68% own vehicles with official ranges exceeding 200 miles per charge.
The mismatch suggests range anxiety may be overblown for typical driving patterns.
Strong satisfaction drives future loyalty
Electric vehicle owners plan to stick with the technology for their next purchase. Two-thirds of battery EV owners said they’ll choose another pure-electric model.
Eighty-eight percent would recommend electric cars to others.
Lower running costs motivated 69% of current owners to choose electric vehicles initially. Environmental concerns influenced 67% of buyers, while 56% cited the driving experience as a factor.
The tracker represents the government’s first detailed look at how electric vehicle adoption is progressing beyond simple sales numbers. Officials plan to use the data for future charging infrastructure planning.
