• Around one in three will still buy petrol or diesel and 29% are indifferent to what type they buy
• Car charging for long journeys is the key reason for rejecting electric over petrol or diesel models, survey shows
• Scrapping Insurance Premium Tax would help boost take-up, The Green Insurer says
27th February 2025 The switch to electric cars from petrol and diesel is not charging ahead with drivers with just two out five (38%) motorists planning to buy an electric or hybrid car for their next vehicle, according to new research1 from The Green Insurer, which is focused on helping drivers reduce carbon emissions and drive in a more environmentally friendly way.
Its study found one in three (33%) drivers say they their next vehicle purchase will be a petrol or diesel car, and a further 29% say they are indifferent as to whether their next car is electric, hybrid, petrol or diesel.
The opposition towards going electric is highest among drivers who have yet to own an EV or hybrid, with 35% of petrol owners and 46% of diesel owners saying they willcontinue to shun electric cars the next time they buy. Two in three (66%) of them say they are happy driving a petrol or diesel car and don’t see any need to switch.
The main barrier to buying electric or hybrid is the worry of keeping the vehicle charged on long journeys. Around 62% say that would stop them going electric while 60% worry about being able to find convenient charging points.
Around 59% are worried about the cost of EVs including and replacing batteries while 46% are concerned about being able to find a location to charge overnight and 40% are worried about servicing costs. Higher insurance premiums are a concern for 27% while 31% say they believe that EV technology could be replaced by another “green fuel” such as hydrogen so plan to delay any EV purchase for now.
There is no going back however for almost all motorists who have already made the move to an electric vehicle, with 91% of EV owners surveyed saying that their next purchase would be another electric car.
Paul Baxter, CEO, The Green Insurer, said: “The drive towards electric vehicles seems to be stalling with many drivers worried about the switch. Issues such as affordability, charging infrastructure and long-term costs remain key concerns. If EV adoption is to increase, these areas must be addressed to give motorists confidence in making the switch.
“EV drivers who have already made the move across remain committed to sticking with it. This could indicate that concerns around things such as charging on long journeys are more perception than reality, as people who have already experienced an electric car are happy to continue to do so. However, cost is still a major barrier. As the UK strives towards meeting its net-zero targets, our research highlights the importance of getting people to make the first step across to electric. It’s clear that more needs to be done to incentivise drivers to make the switch. One such initiative that we believe would make a difference is the removal of Insurance Premium Tax from the insurance premiums for electric cars.”
The Green Insurer has launched car insurance policies that customers can buy direct from its website at www.thegreeninsurer.com and through leading price comparison websites. A customer’s Green Driving Score will be used to calculate their renewal premium and to offer discounts when they renew. Policies are linked to a mobile app, which monitors how customers drive.
Every mile driven by customers will be offset using a range of carbon offset projects which are assessed for their carbon and environmental effectiveness as well as the social impact on the people and communities where they are based.
All customer enquiries to The Green Insurer will be dealt with by humans based in the UK rather than chatbots or overseas call centres.
Up to 70 companies have partnered with The Green Insurer to offer rewards and discounts including ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s Waitrose, Iceland and Morrisons plus retailers Clarks, Harvey Nichols, Halfords, Habitat and Waterstone’s as well as restaurant chains Zizzi, Ask Italian and Café Rouge. On a weekly supermarket shop of £200 a 6% discount would be worth more than £600 a year.
Independent and green offers include eco laundry capsules, eco clothing, refillable natural deodorant, sustainable sunglasses from Coral Eyewear and National Trust membership. The company plans to expand the number of rewards partners and is contacting companies who can also sign up on its website. It will also add other insurance partners in the future and potentially expand the types of policies it offers.