According to a car leasing company, more learner drivers should be encouraged to take lessons and tests in electric cars on UK roads.
LeaseElectricCar.co.uk has seen a huge surge in interest from people wanting to lease its electric vehicles over the past year, with inquiries up 200% in September of this year compared to September 2020.
Under current plans, sales of new gasoline and diesel cars will be banned in the UK from 2030, with some hybrid cars being allowed until 2035.
Hence, they argue that in the near future it will become necessary for people to adapt.
A spokesman for LeaseElectricCar.co.uk said: “Many learner drivers represent the next generation of drivers – a generation that will see great strides in combating climate change around the world.
Electric vehicles expected to be the order of the day in the 2030s (PA)
“The UK already has ambitions to reduce the number of petrol and diesel cars on our roads and there was a recent government announcement proposing that new homes will have electric vehicle chargers by law, so the culture of electric cars is taking place .
“It makes sense that more learner drivers have the opportunity to do all or at least some of their learning in electric cars as we approach these future milestones.”
What are the differences in learning to drive in an electric car?
Learner drivers taking a test in an electric vehicle can only drive electric and automatic combustion engine (ICE) cars with no gear shift – so this may be seen by some as an obstacle to using electric vehicles while learning.
But without learning how to change gears or how to operate the clutch, this might be interesting for some people who are currently not keen to learn to drive.
Other aspects of an electric vehicle that may take some getting used to include differences in braking, the lack of a noisy motor, instant acceleration, and fully automated systems.
