In true testament to the satisfaction of zero-emission mobility, Nissan has discovered European EV drivers really are going the extra mile.
In fact, on average, they are annually travelling 390 clean miles further than European internal combustion engine (ICE) drivers, according to recent research commissioned by the automaker.
To help further understand the driving experiences and perception of European motorists, the study reveals EV drivers are becoming trailblazers on European roads, totalling on average more than 8,800 miles yearly.
Compared to their ICE driver counterparts, who are averaging 8,450 miles, this new research foresees a bright future for sustainable mobility.
Ahead of World Environment Day tomorrow (June 5), designed to encourage worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment, these findings present electric mobility and its environmental benefits as a key driver in helping to tackle ecological challenges.
“This research reiterates that electric driving is not only a smart option beneficial to the environment but also a fun, exciting and convenient choice for the owners. It is no surprise that people now drive EV further than ICE cars. We are confident that with more EV on the road dispelling myths, range anxiety will soon be in the past,” said Arnaud Charpentier, Region Vice President, Product Strategy and Pricing, Nissan AMIEO.
Going the distance
Reassuringly, the majority (69 per cent) of EV drivers are happy with the current charging infrastructure available. Likewise, almost a quarter (23 per cent) say the most common myth surrounding EV driving is that the current charging infrastructure cannot cope, indicating high satisfaction in existing EV drivers, and a positive opportunity for future adopters.
Switching-on
Almost half (47 per cent) of ICE drivers say the main advantage of a petrol or diesel car is greater range autonomy. Likewise, when looking into the reasons behind the 30 per cent of ICE drivers who are unlikely to consider a fully electric vehicle, the majority (58 per cent) said the biggest concern is that EVs have low driving range autonomy.
Further exploration into factors that would convince drivers to switch unsurprisingly reveal:
- 38 per cent of ICE drivers believe the biggest pull-factor would be greater range.
- 32 per cent of ICE drivers would be drawn by ease of charging.
- 30 per cent note having a better charging infrastructure would persuade them to switch.
However, despite these results, drawing comparison with those who have already converted to an electric car, EV drivers confidently counteract these fears. Seventy per cent of existing EV drivers note their experience of range has been better than they expected. These findings serve as a strong indication to ICE drivers that range should not be a deterring factor for switching to an EV.
Distorted reality
The survey also uncovers a strong disconnect surrounding charging and infrastructure from those EV drivers who currently utilise the facilities, and the impression of those ICE drivers yet to benefit from them, highlighting starkly different viewpoints.
- 56 per cent of ICE drivers who are not considering an EV believe there are not enough charging points.
- 56 per cent think they are more expensive to buy than their petrol/diesel equivalent.
- 48 per cent suggest there is not enough public charging infrastructure.
However, over a quarter of EV motorists say that running out of charge (28 per cent), charging time (30 per cent) and EVs being expensive (31 per cent) are amongst the biggest myths of EV driving, implying that charging and infrastructure are sufficiently developed.