Public electric vehicle charging that’s cheaper than petrol could boost demand for EVs by nearly 50%, according to new research commissioned by ChargeUK, the EV charging industry association.
YouGov polled 2,130 people and found that the proportion likely to buy an electric car climbs from 25% to 37% if public charging costs less than filling up with petrol — a jump of 48%. That figure is above the government’s headline target of 33% of new car sales being electric in 2026, and just shy of the 38% target set for 2027.
The findings add weight to arguments from within the charging industry that price, not just availability, is now the main barrier standing between many drivers and their first EV. With home charging typically far cheaper than public rapid chargers, drivers without off-street parking — a significant number of UK households — are often left paying considerably more to run an electric car than those who can charge at home overnight.
If public charging prices were brought closer to the cost of petrol, or below it, the research suggests it could go a long way towards closing the gap between current EV uptake and the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate targets.
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