New study shows significant increase in EV demand

European consumers have spoken, the majority favours battery-electric vehicles over petrol cars, if other parameters are equal. This is the result of a survey conducted by Elementenergy , who asked more than 14.000 potential car buyers about their purchases. Favourable numbers of prospective EV buyers range from about 50% (FR & UK) up to 95% (NL). Overall, 73% of potential buyers in the polled countries (UK, FR, ES, DE, NL, IT, PL) would prefer a BEV. You can access the study here.

The Study highlights the rapid shift towards battery-electric-vehicles (BEVs) and the significant increase in demand. Furthermore, one should not forget that the question implies that all parameters of a car, except the drivetrain, would be equal. Since range and recharging are (currently) a handicap for BEVs, as long-distance travel is not (yet) on par with petrol engines, one should highlight that the question was asked with a potential bias towards BEVs. A neutral question concerning their purchase decision in 2022 would tilt the scale more towards petrol engines. 

Nevertheless, one should not forget that a (rapid) uptake of BEVs in cities prerequisites a significant investment into a charging infrastructure that is accessible to everybody, doesn’t enhance the burden of curbside parking and doesn’t hinder other road users, such as pedestrians, who might stumble over charging cables on the pavement. The potential of significantly increasing demand creates individual challenges, as we can see on image 2. It shows that charging and parking differ greatly between countries, as living standards, urban agglomerations and parking costs are diverging significantly.