New Government report reviews evidence on ULEV uptake

Fri 14 August 2015 View all news

The Government's Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has published a new report which reviews UK and international evidence on ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs). The report aims to dispel long-held beliefs about electric car ownership and usage patterns. It finds that 90% of owners would recommend an electric vehicle to others.
 
The report, entitled ‘Uptake of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles in the UK’, draws on the research from almost 50 UK and international sources, and points to a significant change in the way motorists use and own plug-in vehicles.
 
The report covers:
  • the characteristics of current and future owners
  • how ULEVs are being used and experienced
  • the impact of public incentives and other key motivators and barriers to uptake
  • current and future infrastructure provision
The report is intended to be used as a robust source of evidence for measures to support the growth of the ULEV market in the UK. It also offers direction for future research in the priority areas identified to fill evidence gaps and support future policies.
 
Contrary to popular perceptions, evidence from the report shows that 82% of Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV)-owning households in the UK use their electric car as their main vehicle, while for 20% of owners an electric vehicle is the only car.
 
The report also found that ULEV usage is not restricted to short-distance journeys and that, in fact, plug-ins are being driven for comparable mileages to petrol and diesel cars.
 
Where an ULEV is used as the main car in the household, the average annual mileage is approximately 8,850 miles. This is greater than with the estimated UK average for all cars of 8,430 miles, according to National Travel Survey data.
 
Importantly, the report demonstrates that the vast majority of ULEV owners in the UK are highly satisfied with their ownership experience. In a UK trial, 90% said they would recommend an electric vehicle to others. Furthermore, the evidence shows that most ULEV owners are positive about buying another plug-in vehicle in the future.

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