Ireland’s first all-island survey on electric vehicle (EV) charging habits, preferences and expectations has uncovered valuable insights, both optimistic and unsettling, from current and potential EV drivers north and south of the border.
Launched this summer by EV power-sharing startup GoPlugable with support from the Irish EV Association (IEVA) and the Electric Vehicle Association of Northern Ireland (EVANI), the survey will be rolled out annually to continue to measure the changing attitudes around EV ownership.
The survey, which was completed by over 1700 respondents based across Ireland and Northern Ireland, covered various topics including charging habits, awareness of government grants for EVs, perceptions of public charging infrastructure and more.
The survey reflected low confidence in government both north and south of the border, with 87% of respondents feeling that their respective governments are not doing enough to facilitate the adoption of EVs and 72% feeling that targets of 1 million EVs in Ireland by 2030 and the UK reaching 100% zero emission sales by 2035 will not be achieved. A shocking 28% of EV drivers claimed they would be likely to switch back to petrol or diesel-fueled cars, foreshadowing a potential reversal in EV adoption.
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Despite a lack of faith in leadership, the many EV owners remained optimistic, with 53% of drivers claiming to have made the switch to EV for fuel savings and many also citing the desire to switch to a greener way of travelling (51%) as the catalyst for investing in an electric vehicle. Of those who are not currently EV users, nearly 15% are planning for their next personal vehicle purchase to be an EV.
When asked about ‘charger anxiety,’ over 62% of drivers on the Island of Ireland felt the stress of finding a charge point when travelling between cities and towns, and 61% of respondents claimed they have had trouble finding available charge points when away from home. With most EV drivers (76%) preferring to charge up at home via a wall charger and over 78% of respondents claiming they use public charging stations fewer than four times per month.
"It's incredibly heartening to see that 51% of EV drivers made the switch motivated by a desire for greener travel. This speaks volumes about the collective consciousness towards sustainable living. However, the survey also reveals that 28% of EV drivers are considering reverting to gasoline cars. This is a crucial wake-up call for all stakeholders, including the government, which recently backtracked on its 2030 ban on petrol cars."
"We must instil confidence in the public by addressing their concerns and enhancing infrastructure. Whether it's renters, apartment dwellers, or those without driveways, everyone should have convenient access to charging options. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the transition to electric vehicles is not just a trend but a long-lasting change for the better."
Developed with a mission to create an online network of home EV charger owners willing to share their charge point access with fellow EV drivers in need of a reliable charger, GoPlugable is tapping into the strong sense of community which already exists amongst EV drivers.
“We are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive feedback from survey respondents, with 61% stating they would be open to considering sharing their home EV chargers with other drivers and over 29% interested in making money by renting their charge points through GoPlugable. This increase in charger availability for the public could help to significantly reduce barriers to EV ownership across the Island of Ireland by opening up new, privately owned chargers points", added Maebh.
Source: Written from press release
