London drivers are most likely to switch to an EV compared to other UK cities

As the 2030 ban on manufacturing new petrol and diesel cars approaches, drivers in London are the most likely to switch to an EV when compared to any other UK city.

New research from Turo, the world’s largest car sharing marketplace, shows that more than half (53%) of London drivers would switch to an EV for their next vehicle, well above the national average of 43%.

According to the findings, Londoners are at the top of the leaderboard as the city most likely to switch to EVs, joint with Birmingham, followed by Manchester (50%) and Southampton (49%).

London has seen the number of charging points on the road increase by 141% over the last five years according to the ONS. During that same time, the capital has received 77% of all HM Treasury transport funding.

There’s still more to be done before the roads of London are lined with electric cars. Despite the increase in chargers, 87% of Londoners still say that a lack of EV chargers is a barrier when considering going electric.

With some of the cheapest EVs on the market costing as much as £22,000, it’s no surprise that 85% of the city are also put off by the initial purchasing costs of an electric car.

To help recoup the cost of their EV, hundreds of UK drivers have turned to Turo, earning an average of £423 a month by renting out their car. So much so, that one in nine cars on the platform are run on alternative energy, more than three times the national number.

Xavier Collins, UK VP at Turo, said, “As 2030 approaches, there is no doubt that more and more drivers will want to turn to electric vehicles, and we’re delighted to see an increasing number of EVs on our platform.

“But as our research shows, currently the barriers to purchase are still too big for many, whether it’s due to the high purchase cost or fear of the unknown. Car sharing is a great way for EV owners to recoup some of those costs.

“It is also an ideal way for someone who is considering going electric to go on a prolonged test drive before they buy. Instead of a 20 minute test drive with someone sitting next to you, through car renting guests can get the full EV experience before buying.”