- The UK’s transition to electric vehicles is evidently growing at pace, with nearly one in four new passenger cars sold being fully electric models.
- However, this growth is not even across the country – with Cox Automotive Europe’s latest UK EV Adoption and Perceptions report highlighting stark regional divides.
- How can we ensure that all areas of the country are confident in making the switch ahead of looming ZEV mandate deadlines?
UK EV adoption is growing, but not evenly
This article is sponsored by Cox Automotive Europe.
While recent new car registration figures indicate a strong switch to electric among UK drivers, a closer look at the data, including fresh insights from Cox Automotive Europe’s new report, reveals a striking divide in how drivers across the country perceive and adopt electric vehicles.
Some regions and cities in the UK are leading the charge when it comes to EV adoption, with buyers motivated by strong charging infrastructure in the area and overall positive sentiment. However, other areas remain hesitant, with much lower levels of EV ownership and concerns surrounding access to charging infrastructure.
For automotive retailers, finding the reasons for and addressing this divide is key, ahead of the 2030 and 2035 dates within the ZEV mandate.
A regional EV divide
Some areas of the UK are already well above the national average when it comes to EV adoption. From Cox Automotive Europe’s own research, areas such as Bristol, Nottingham, Belfast, and Birmingham stand out as areas with high levels of adoption.
55% of those from Bristol surveyed already own an EV, whilst of those who don’t, an impressive 81% have considered making the switch. It’s a similar story in Nottingham, where 53% of those surveyed own one, whilst 63% of non-EV drivers have considered switching.
However, other towns and cities included within Cox Automotive Europe’s research painted a different picture. EV adoption was found to be much lower in areas such as Norwich, Southampton, Edinburgh, and Liverpool.
In Norwich, for example, only 16% of those surveyed owned an EV. Meanwhile, 64% of respondents were ‘unlikely’ to purchase an EV.
Even in some cities where EV consideration levels are relatively high, that doesn’t necessarily convert into purchase intent. In Edinburgh, 71% of respondents have considered going electric, yet only 44% said they were likely to purchase one.
Why the divide, and what steps can be taken?
Cox Automotive Europe’s research indicates that poor perception of charging infrastructure, and poor perception of EVs themselves, are driving some of this regional divide of EV adoption.
In the past, areas with low levels of off-street residential parking have seen lower levels of adoption, with drivers in these regions having to heavily rely on more expensive public charging. However, with the rise of on-street charging solutions which are being directly supported through government grants, this is becoming less of an issue.
Particularly when it comes to the topic of charging infrastructure, the government has recently made some promising steps to boost confidence around public and private charging – for current EV drivers and potential future EV drivers.
Most recently, the government announced the extension and boosting of several EV charging-related grant schemes. A grant of £350 is being boosted to £500 for charging installation grant schemes related to renters and flatowners, landlords, workplaces, and those without access to off-street parking.
The planned introduction of standardised public charging signage is also another positive step that suggests the perception of poor infrastructure, which is hampering EV adoption in some areas of the UK, could be reduced. EV signage isn’t just a wayfinding tool, but also a communication tool that signifies to all drivers that public charging is readily available now.
OEMs and retailers themselves also have a role to play in addressing this regional EV adoption divide. Whilst some retailers are retailing EVs as a like-for-like equivalent to fossil-fuelled cars to avoid ‘alienating’ customers, this research suggests that this might not be the right approach – perhaps, these EVs need to be sold as part of a wider ecosystem, with customer education and reassurance on key aspects of ownership such as public charging, the installation of an at-home or on-street charger, and workplace charging.
With EV perception also noted as a factor for lower adoption in some areas of the UK, further education surrounding EVs themselves is also required – for example, battery longevity, cost of ownership, and more.
By demystifying these two factors, retailers could address some of the biggest regional barriers.
Cox Automotive Europe’s 2026 UK EV adoption and perceptions report goes beyond just exploring the regional divide, with many other aspects for retailers to consider. You can read the report in full, here.
