Is range anxiety for electric vehicles set for the history books?

Jordan Brompton, co-founder and CMO of myenergi, discusses why drivers are still reluctant to embrace an electric future.

According to a recent poll by Hyundai, 85% of drivers remain concerned about the likelihood of running out of charge when driving an electric vehicle. However, insight from the same study suggests that the average British motorist would only need to re-charge once every three weeks, with 60% of the population never needing to use a public charging point.

While it may seem extraordinary, the maths really does add up. Indeed, with the average driver only commuting 108 miles per week, and some EVs now boasting ranges in excess of 300 miles, range anxiety is fast becoming a term of the past.

Granted, the calculation is relatively simplistic and doesn’t take into consideration factors such as the seasonal drop in battery efficiency experienced during the colder winter months, but it does demonstrate that owning an EV is easier, more practical and more affordable than ever before.

Yet despite this data, and countless other research projects demonstrating the real-world suitability of EVs, the fact still remains that Brits remain reticent towards electrification. As such, just 56% of motorists are considering electric when specifying their next vehicle – despite the impending 2030 ban on all new petrol and diesel cars, as well as the dwindling availability of internal combustion-powered models.

The industry has faced this scenario for a number of years now. Despite the remarkable developments in EV technology, misconceptions and dated views are holding back the UK’s transition to an electric future. While many motorists would be far happier in a state-of-the-art EV, it’s still seen as a daunting switch for risk-adverse consumers.

So how can we change the views of the average motorist? Personally, I believe it’s as simple as better education. No one wants to make the wrong choice when buying a new car – we, as an industry need to understand this thinking and work alongside consumers to alleviate their concerns.

After all, just a few years ago, dated viewpoints weren’t far from the truth. The charging network was limited, EV range was far lower and the range of models that you’d actually want to use as a daily driver was pretty poor. Fast forward to the thriving market of today and it’s clear to see the remarkable distance that the industry has come.

Besides huge progress in vehicle design and driver technology, more than 25,000 public charging points are now operational nationwide. At myenergi, we’ve seen this progress first-hand and recently shipped our 100,000th domestic unit – a huge corporate milestone.

Indeed, zappi – our eco-smart EV charger, continues to prove popular with EV drivers all around the world. Alongside standard charging modes, it was the first device of its kind to offer full connectivity with renewable energy micro-generation (such as PV panels and domestic-scale wind turbines).

The industry’s offer to motorists is therefore a powerful one – next-generation vehicles, long periods between needing to charge, more public charging points than petrol stations and domestic wall boxes capable of harnessing carbon-neutral power. What’s more, with fewer working parts, EVs require less servicing than their petrol or diesel counterparts, resulting in a far lower total cost of ownership.

Should motorists therefore be hesitant of embracing electric? No, of course not. However, it’s our responsibility educate, communicate and support drivers in their switch. This is essential to creating a more sustainable future and I, for one, commit to leading the charge.