Electric Cars - The Generational Divide

Research by professional services firm KPMG has found that the public’s reluctance towards electric vehicles is mainly an issue for the over 55s. The survey found that when considering the purchase of an electric car, range anxiety (which is the distance the car can travel on one charge) was the top concern for 75% of people over the age of 55. However, less than half (40%) of those surveyed between the ages of 18-34 shared the same worry.

Justin Benson, Director and Head of Automotive at KPMG UK, said: "I don’t think there will be range anxiety in the future, especially given that 85% of all journeys made in Britain are less than 15 miles. There’s clearly a massive generational shift taking place. Millennials and Generation Z are moving towards electric vehicles and the over 55s appear to be reluctant to do the same quite so quickly.

"Young people are typically more open to trying new things and there’s an element of expecting to have almost anything within a very short time span, if not instantly at the touch of a button. This explains why those aged 18-34 were more concerned with the time it takes to charge, than how far one charge would take them."

Interestingly, when looking at the most important considerations when buying a new vehicle, emissions and environmental impact only ranked fifth. Running costs were cited as the top priority, followed by purchase price, fuel/energy consumption and driving experience.

Despite these findings, here at pluginsure we believe that there's an electric car out there for everyone. Courtesy of our exclusive electric car insurance offer with Ageas, we can offer insurance with our unique combination of cover, service and price for drivers aged from 25 to 83. If you’re thinking of going electric then get a quick quote with us today!