Thirty-five per cent of car buyers more likely to buy an EV after grant

Thirty five per cent of British drivers say they are more likely to switch to electric following the introduction of the Electric Car Grant (ECG).

Regionally, Londoners are the most likely to switch, with 54% saying the will do so.

Nationally, 55% of those surveyed said they expected to buy an electric car within the next two years, underlining a sharp rise in intent even over recent rising trends; in 2024, 19.6% of all new car registrations were electric, while so far in 2025 so far 21.9% of new car registrations have been for electric vehicles.

The survey also revealed a significant generational difference in attitudes to buying an EV. Younger adults aged 17-34 were by far the most likely demographic to make the switch in the next two years, with 85% saying they would do so. Across all age ranges, those living in Greater London once again topped the poll, with 80% saying they were likely to make the switch to electric within the next two years.

In contrast, just 27% of those aged over 55 said they were likely to switch to an electric car in the next two years. Greater range (45%), more charging points (47%) and lower starting prices (34%) were the main needs for this age group, whereas for the youngest age group surveyed, 17-24, the ability to charge quickly was rated as the biggest desire (48%), followed by longer battery range (39%) and the availability of more public charging points (36%).

Notably just 46% of women compared to 63% of men described themselves as very likely to make the switch to an electric car in the next two years. Lower prices (46% vs 41%) and a greater availability of used electric cars (13% vs 11%) were areas of the market that concerned women more than men.

All four of Renault’s electric vehicles are eligible for a £1500 grant saving: Renault 4, Renault 5, Renault Megane and Renault Scenic. 

Reacting to the survey, motoring expert and championship-winning racing driver Jason Plato said: “More and more people are switching on to the benefits of electric motoring, and these results highlight how, when great savings are available on great cars, the grant is working to persuade buyers to move to electric.”

^{Image shows motoring expert and championship-winning racing driver Jason Plato.}