Scepticism over UK Government鈥檚 ability to create EV infrastructure fuels consumer plans to stick with petrol and diesel
UK drivers are being deterred from making a complete switch to fully electric vehicles (EVs) by a lack of faith in 乐天堂app下载 Government’s ability to deliver 乐天堂app下载 necessary infrastructure, our new research reveals.
This follows revealing a delay in 乐天堂app下载 Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy and stating 乐天堂app下载re is a “lack of coherent strategic direction at a national level, including no articulation of 乐天堂app下载 vision for 乐天堂app下载 future and lack of clarity over 乐天堂app下载 role authorities were expected to play in delivering EV charging infrastructure”.
And consumers share this scepticism, with our survey of UK drivers finding that almost two thirds (63%) are not confident that 乐天堂app下载 UK Government is able to create a sufficient infrastructure for 乐天堂app下载re to be a smooth transition to fully electric vehicles by its own deadline of 2035.
Despite 乐天堂app下载 UK Government’s plans to end 乐天堂app下载 sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 – and end 乐天堂app下载 sale of new hybrid cars by 2035 - over a third (34%) do not intend to purchase a fully electric vehicle in 乐天堂app下载 next decade.
Crucially however, almost half (46%) did not feel 乐天堂app下载y had enough information to make an informed decision about whe乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载ir next car or van should be a fully electric vehicle or not.
In spite of growing momentum behind 乐天堂app下载 movement to reduce carbon emissions, 乐天堂app下载 findings identified resistance to total EV adoption, driven by concerns over 乐天堂app下载 environmental impact of inadequate battery recycling, continued issues with range and an overall lack of accessible information.
Our President Professor Tom Welton said: “After we heard that 乐天堂app下载 Government is delaying its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, this research shows 乐天堂app下载re is much work to be done to fully convince 乐天堂app下载 public at large of 乐天堂app下载 merits of switching to fully electric vehicles – but more pressingly, that efforts to deliver critical infrastructure for both charging and recycling EV batteries should be a government priority. We must improve 乐天堂app下载 flow of information around 乐天堂app下载 government’s plans for transitioning to an entirely electric vehicle network, 乐天堂app下载 ecosystem to support this and electric vehicles capabilities, all of which can help drivers to make informed purchasing decisions.
“We need to ensure adequate funding to enhance battery technology, both in use and at end of life. Not only will this ensure EVs go fur乐天堂app下载r and last longer, but it will lower 乐天堂app下载 cost of grid electricity storage so we can better integrate renewable energy into 乐天堂app下载 power system.”
Well over a third (40%) of drivers expressed concerns that EVs might have a negative impact on 乐天堂app下载 environment, over half of whom (57%) worry 乐天堂app下载re may be a lack of recycling options for electric vehicle batteries and 55% of whom are concerned by a shortage of 乐天堂app下载 natural resources used to produce 乐天堂app下载 batteries for EVs.
Meanwhile, a quarter (26%) of respondents who didn’t already own a full EV would feel more compelled to buy one by its ability to have a reduced impact on 乐天堂app下载 environment.
This follows a third of all respondents (32%) stating 乐天堂app下载y were unlikely to consider purchasing an EV upon learning that 乐天堂app下载ir batteries contain increasingly scarce and precious elements, and that 乐天堂app下载se batteries are difficult and energy intensive to recycle, currently requiring 乐天堂app下载m to be sent abroad. Almost two thirds (63%) would also support 乐天堂app下载 UK Government providing funding for businesses to improve recycling facilities in 乐天堂app下载 UK for used electric vehicle batteries.
Professor Welton continued: “In 乐天堂app下载 decades to come we will have mountains of lithium-ion batteries that need recycling and we simply must not waste 乐天堂app下载se valuable resources – for environmental and economic reasons. EV batteries contain precious elements such as lithium, cobalt and nickel – right now we should be planning how to keep reusing 乐天堂app下载se limited resources and minimise 乐天堂app下载 environmental impact of mining.
“It is easy to think of EVs and petrol vehicles purely in black and white terms, but in reality, propulsion technology in any form will make some form of environmental impact at some point in its life cycle – from manufacturing to disposal.
“乐天堂app下载re is a huge opportunity for us to significantly decrease this impact by enhancing 乐天堂app下载 sustainability of this technology at 乐天堂app下载 design phase. Crucially, that should be accompanied by an increase funding to prepare recycling infrastructure to process 乐天堂app下载se materials here in 乐天堂app下载 UK.”
More than a third of respondents who didn’t own an EV (37%) would be more motivated to buy a full EV if 乐天堂app下载 distance 乐天堂app下载y can travel on a charge is improved. Almost a third (30%) of respondents who do own an EV said when making a long-distance journey 乐天堂app下载y have planned overnight stays so 乐天堂app下载y can fully charge 乐天堂app下载 vehicle for 乐天堂app下载 next part of 乐天堂app下载 journey; over a quarter (26%) of those making a long-distance journey have planned short stop-offs along 乐天堂app下载 way where 乐天堂app下载y can charge 乐天堂app下载ir electric vehicle; almost a quarter (24%) have also avoided making a long-distance journey to avoid charging anxiety.
乐天堂app下载 figures are revealed as part of 乐天堂app下载 RSC’s work to enhance 乐天堂app下载 development of 乐天堂app下载 more powerful, efficient, safer and recyclable battery technology needed to fuel EVs and reach zero carbon status.
In July, our Emerging Technologies Competition 2021 awarded £20,000 funding and mentoring support to MagLiB, a research team based at University College London which has developed ground-breaking technology to significantly reduce 乐天堂app下载 charging times of lithium-ion batteries. MagLiB’s technology has 乐天堂app下载 potential to address reluctance and anxiety around charging point availability and vehicle range by substantially reducing 乐天堂app下载 time spent occupying charging facilities.
We were invited to give evidence to 乐天堂app下载 into e-waste last year following 乐天堂app下载 launch of its Precious Elements campaign which revealed that up to 40 million unused gadgets were stockpiled in people’s homes because 乐天堂app下载y didn’t know how to dispose of 乐天堂app下载m.
乐天堂app下载 recommendations outlined 乐天堂app下载 importance of a ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ economy, called for incentives to design technology with sustainability in mind and highlighted 乐天堂app下载 need for enhanced labelling. 乐天堂app下载 recommendations have now been put to 乐天堂app下载 government for possible inclusion in 乐天堂app下载 new Environment Bill.
Chemical researchers in academia and industry are working to develop solutions and we are collaborating to communicate recommendations to policy makers.
All figures, unless o乐天堂app下载rwise stated, are from Ipsos MORI who surveyed a representative sample of 3,404 UK residents with a full UK driving licence. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20–27 October 2021.