The number of UK fleets being held back from electrifying by EV charging concerns increased during 2024, according to Europcar.
The rental company has published an overview of its EV barometer surveys conducted during the year, asking respondents what they believed the current barriers were to their employers adding EVs to their fleets.
This shows that the percentage naming charging infrastructure as a concern rose from 33.8% in Q1 to 37.4% in Q4.
The cost of purchasing and maintaining an EV narrowly remained the most named concern, but the percentage naming this dropped from 40.5% to 37.5%.
A lack of EV knowledge fell from 23.2% to 20.2%, and a lack of model choice fell from 17.8% to 16.9%, however perceived employer or employee resistance rose from 12.1% to 15.2%.
Europcar head of electric mobility and sustainability spokesperson Tom Middleditch said: “With charging increasing as a barrier to making the switch to EV for businesses and their drivers it’s clear that more work needs to be done to improve confidence.
“2024 saw charging infrastructure improve across the UK, however it appears that motorists still need more confidence in speed of charging. Indeed, we are hearing anecdotally that drivers don’t always appreciate that the vehicle they are driving may not be able to charge at the full speed of the chosen charger.
“The government’s EV consultation launched just before Christmas provides a great opportunity to highlight the importance of improving consumer education about electric motoring. This will be critical to ensure that motorists have the confidence they need to make the switch and Europcar is contributing to the BVRLA’s response to the consultation.”
