The average British motorist would only have to charge an electric car 20 TIMES A YEAR and hardly ever need to use a public charger, says Hyundai
- According to Hyundai, 85% of Britons are worried about running out of battery in electric vehicles
- And that’s despite the fact that motorists average 108 miles per week when the current Kona Electric has a range of 289 miles on a single charge
- With drivers covering 5,616 miles per year, that’s 20 charges of the Hyundai electric car
- Three in five respondents also said they had off-street parking to install a home charger
- This means these drivers almost never need to use a public charger
The average British driver would only have to charge an electric car every three weeks – although most drivers hardly need to use the public charging network, according to Hyundai.
In a UK survey, the Korean automaker found that 85 percent of drivers are concerned that an electric vehicle will run out of battery and nowhere to be charged.
This is despite the fact that the average driver surveyed by Hyundai only drives 108 miles per week, which is just over a third of the claimed 289 mile range of their current Kona Electric on a single charge.
British drivers only have to charge an electric car 20 times a year: According to a study by the electric car manufacturer Hyundai, drivers only need to connect their battery models to a charger every 3 weeks
The survey of 2,000 drivers found that more than half (56 percent) are considering an electric car as their next vehicle.
But it has also revealed a number of concerns that need to be addressed in order for the vast majority of motorists to be able to give up their gasoline and diesel engines.
Last but not least, persistent fears of range and charging concerns.
According to the survey, the average British motorist travels 5,616 miles per year based on a weekly distance of 108 miles.
Hyundai says its range-topping Kona Electric with the 64 kWh battery could cover that annual mileage with less than 20 full charges, based on claimed eco-performance.
That is, evaluating the real-world range of this Kona version of What Car? says the range on the road is 259 miles – 40 miles shorter than what “official” tests suggest.
This increases the annual minimum charge to 22 even before the generally accepted decline in battery efficiency in the winter months is taken into account, with the performance of the lithium-ion units dropping as the temperature drops – a common occurrence in the UK, of course.
The average British motorist travels 5,616 miles per year based on a weekly distance of 108 miles. The highest range Hyundai Kona Electric can cover that annual mileage with less than 20 full charges based on its claimed eco-performance
Hyundai’s study also found that 61% of UK motorists have driveways or garages to install a home charger. This means that most drivers “very rarely need to use any of the UK’s public charging networks”.
The Hyundai study also tried to allay concerns about charging infrastructure after finding that six in ten (61 percent) of respondents said they had a driveway or garage to install a home charger.
The real estate record numbers show that a third of households in England have no off-street parking.
The automaker says that figure suggests that most drivers “very rarely need to use any of the UK’s public charging networks”.
Even so, 85 percent of license holders are concerned that there are not enough public charging points available to meet the increasing demand for electric vehicles.
There are nearly 25,000 public chargers in the UK – almost five times as many as in 2016, according to Hyundai
There are already nearly 25,000 publicly available chargers in the UK – almost five times as many as in 2016, according to Hyundai, and the number will accelerate as the UK nears the 2030 ban on new gasoline and diesel cars.
More than a third (35 percent) like the idea of an electric car, but fear not understanding how to drive a car. For 18- to 24-year-olds it is 72 percent.
Ashley Andrew, Managing Director of Hyundai UK, said there are still “a number of obstacles we must overcome” when it comes to convincing Britons to switch to electric cars.
“We found that the barriers to making the move for first-time EV owners are learning how the car fits into their lifestyle and using terminology that is slightly different from traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles.
“There is little difference between driving an electric car and one with an internal combustion engine, and many find that an electric car is actually easier.”
The study also found that more than half of respondents (57 percent) don’t understand the terminology related to electric cars.
According to the study, only a fifth (20 percent) of motorists understood what “64 kWh” – the battery size – refers to in an electric car.
76 percent believe that companies with staff parking spaces should install charging stations to encourage employees to have an electric car.
Trade organization outlines the environmental impact of more drivers switching to electric vehicles
The latest sustainability report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that average CO2 emissions from the UK fleet fell by a record-breaking 11.8 percent in 2020 as the pandemic failed to curb rising demand for electric vehicles.
Battery models accounted for more than one in ten new registrations in 2020, while plug-in hybrid cars grew by 90 percent over the same period.
Last year, alternatively powered vehicles (including 100 percent electric cars, plug-in hybrids and self-charging hybrids) made up 18.8 percent of all cars built in the UK – up from 14.8 percent in 2019.
The market share of electric cars alone is 4.5 percent, attesting to SMMT production records.
She adds that these vehicles are producing 14.2 percent less energy and 36.8 percent less water per vehicle than in 2000, and the total amount of landfill waste has decreased by 98.7 percent.
Carbon dioxide emissions per vehicle also fell by more than a third (36.5 percent) compared to two decades ago.
The trade association applauded UK automakers for continuing to invest in staff development, training and education, but said the industry’s advancement needs to be offset by the rapid build-up of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The report also made it clear that the UK automotive sector saw sales last year, down 24.6 percent year over year to £ 60.2 billion due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, sales are 25.7 percent higher than in 1999.
Mike Hawes, CEO of SMMT, said, “The impact of the pandemic on a sector like the automotive industry – one that depends on global delivery lines, strong consumer demand and a highly skilled workforce – would always be severe. As the latest sustainability report shows, economic and market growth stalled as many factories closed and retail outlets closed.
“However, the pandemic also demonstrated the importance of the sector as it focused its skills on making PPE and ventilators, and ensuring the country’s mobility through ongoing vehicle maintenance and repair.
‘Despite the adversity, the industry’s commitment and investment in zero-emission vehicles continued unabated and delivered the best average CO2 reduction in the fleet to date in a single year.
“Much more needs to be done on this and so many other sustainability indicators that the sector is hoping the government will do to ensure that the framework, incentives and infrastructure are in place to improve our competitiveness and meet the sustainable needs of society for the future to meet. “
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