Our Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Framework recognises different populations within the North will experience the Electric Vehicle transition at a different pace, and will have different charging needs.
To help improve our evidence around this and promote a fairer, more rounded electric vehicle transition, we set out to explore the attitudes of car and van owners among our online research community, Northern Transport Voices.
In the previous insight article in this series, we saw that 32% of the petrol or diesel drivers who responded to our survey said they are considering getting a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle when they replace their current vehicle at some point in the future. We also saw that purchase cost of hybrid and electric vehicles is still a major barrier for many consumers, particularly in the context of high inflation and higher living costs.
While 61% of petrol/diesel drivers in our survey said that unaffordable purchase costs are making it difficult for them to switch to a hybrid or fully electric vehicle, an even higher proportion (69%) said that a lack of convenient, reliable and affordable public charging options is an issue that’s making them reluctant to switch.
Charging options were more likely to be seen as a barrier by drivers who currently do not have access to private, off-street parking options, who are therefore not likely to be able to install private at-home charging points. To facilitate the EV transition for these residents, various solutions for shared residential-based (as opposed to on-route or destination-based) EV charging are being considered and trialled within the EV industry.
As part of our research, we tested out the attitudes of potential users towards two concepts for shared residential EV charging: on-street kerbside charging points (which can be attached to lampposts, or take the form of free-standing pillars or posts at the side of the kerb on residential roads – either on the pavement or on the road) and local charging hubs (where a group of charging points is co-located together in a residential area, sometimes within a covered space, or a fully enclosed secure space).
We asked car or van owners to rate the extent to which they would be willing to use shared kerbside charging points or local charging hubs to charge their plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle (existing or hypothetical) if or when they became available on their street or in their neighbourhood in the future.
We found that on average, drivers rated their willingness to use shared on-street kerbside charging points at 2.6 out of 5. As might be expected, the scores were generally higher among drivers who do not currently have access to private off-street parking, and vice versa.
When asking respondents for more detail to explain the ratings they gave, we found a mix of receptive and more critical views. Those who were most in support of (or open to) using on-street/kerbside charging points talked about being open to sharing charging points on the street, as they have good relationships with their neighbours so don’t mind sharing, or, they felt that sharing charging points would fit well with their lower mileage/less frequent vehicle use. Others who were open to using this type of charging were perhaps more resigned to having to use such facilities in future, due to not having any options available to them for charging privately at home.
Various concerns were expressed around using on-street residential charging, most commonly relating to the perceived inconvenience and lack of flexibility when using shared charging points. This included not knowing whether a charging point would be available when required, or how long the wait might be, and having to plan ahead considerably more. Some respondents were also concerned about security of the charging equipment (which may be vandalised or stolen) or the vehicle itself (which passers-by might unplug), potential for chargers to fail, and potential to create pavement clutter that may be dangerous for pedestrians.
When asked to rate the extent to which they would be open to using shared local charging hubs in future, on average drivers rated this as 2.2 out of 5 (slightly lower than the average score of 2.6 seen for on-street charging points).
Drivers who currently park their vehicle on a shared driveway or communal car park were most likely to say they would be open to using them. Of those who were open to this concept, the majority (56%) said they would be willing to walk up to a maximum of ten minutes to or from a charging hub.
The reasons why respondents were in favour of, or opposed to, the concept of local charging hubs were relatively similar to comments made about on-street charging points.
Those who were most open to using local charging hubs talked about the need to explore and be open to all possible solutions for EV charging in order to make the EV transition a success and reduce the carbon impacts of private car use. It was also mentioned that local hub-based charging could be a good solution for those living in apartment blocks or inner-city areas.
However, similar to on-street charging solutions, there were concerns about the potential lack of flexibility and freedom to charge when needed, and potential danger of vehicle theft or vandalism.
In addition, respondents expressed concerns about not having sight of the vehicle while it’s being charged, and having to get to and from the hub (which some saw as a danger to their personal safety, especially if having to walk home from the hub alone at night).
These findings highlight how the ‘lifestyle change’ required from drivers switching to battery electric vehicles to accommodate a different way of running the vehicle (as opposed to refuelling with ICE fuels) is likely to be even greater for those who will be entirely reliant on shared charging facilities in future.
The findings also demonstrate the need to carefully consider safety and security aspects when designing shared charging facilities, alongside broader aspects such as accessibility, cost, and the impact on other pavement/road users.
This study also explored drivers’ attitudes to using an electric vehicle car club, as an alternative to owning or leasing a personal electric car.
On average, drivers rated their interest in using EV car clubs as 2.3 out of 5. To some respondents, EV car clubs seemed like an environmentally-friendly alternative to private EV car use, which also has the potential to save money for some users.
It was a particularly popular idea among those who describe themselves as low-mileage users, and those who see the potential to substitute a second car with using a car club as needed.
However, for others, using an EV car club seemed like a more expensive option than personal ownership, and many stated that they would not want to give up the freedom and independence to go where they want, when they want using their private vehicle.
In the next instalment in this Insight series, we turn our attention to other factors seen by respondents as barriers to adopting hybrid or electric vehicles, including a lack of good quality information required for decision making, and limitations of the emerging EV market.
We also take a look at some potential policy recommendations, as identified by the respondents in our study.
In the meantime, you can read our report in full below.
