Brits unfazed by ‘range anxiety’ on European adventures

Brits who drive electric vehicles have a greater appetite for ‘jaunts’ to Europe than those with petrol or diesel cars, a new study has found.

Research from one of Britain’s leading vehicle breakdown recovery providers, Start Rescue, show that 6.5% of trips to Europe by UK drivers in 2022 were in an EV, yet electric cars account for only 2.2% of the total number of cars on UK roads. Out of 693,000 cars carried by Brittany Ferries in 2022, more than 45,000 were EVs.

Those numbers reveal that supposed range anxiety or concerns about the Continent’s public charging networks are not such an issue for EV owners as long as they plan their routes and ensure they take out European cover in the event of a breakdown.

Start Rescue offers its members Europe-wide electric car breakdown cover and, as EV-owning Brits cross The Channel to visit their favourite spots in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and The Netherlands they can be sure of comprehensive charge point coverage and also, in some areas, take advantage of public chargers that are free to use.

Figures from The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA, also show that even further-flung destinations like Croatia and Slovenia provide excellent charging infrastructure, making long-distance European driving with an EV doable.

Tiphanie Meyer, Chief Marketing Officer at Chargemap, said: “EV drivers should feel confident about long drives across Europe. The charging infrastructure for electric vehicles has significantly improved in recent years, with a growing number of charging stations and rapid chargers available along major highways and in urban areas.

“This network expansion, combined with the increasing range of electric vehicles, allows drivers to plan their trips with confidence and effectively reach their destinations.”

Forward planning is essential however and using online charging maps and apps such as Chargemap will let you plan a route that shows available chargers for your EV.

Lee Puffett, Managing Director of Start Rescue, said: “Enjoying a European holiday with an EV is increasingly straightforward when you plan ahead and the good news is that if something unfortunate does happen to your EV, the support is in place.

“We provide breakdown cover in more than 40 countries with a repair network throughout Europe, so you can be confident taking your EV on holiday with our Electric Car Breakdown cover. Start Rescue also offer a roadside charge top-up in the UK and some areas of Europe, or we will simply recover you and your EV to the nearest charging station if you run out of battery charge.”