A recent survey found that over half of Irish drivers were interested in buying an electric vehicles.
49 percent of respondents were open to the change, compared to 32% who said they would not switch to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Just around one fifth of those who responded to the study stated they were unsure.
The government announced a €100 million commitment to increase the number of electric changing stations across the nation, which prompted Liberty Insurance and Red C to conduct their research.
The EU’s decision to prohibit the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035 is another element that will have an impact on drivers in the future.
In the meantime, one of the major obstacles keeping drivers from switching to a PHEV is “range anxiety,” the worry that an electric vehicle’s range won’t be sufficient to complete longer trips.
About half (50%) of respondents said they thought there wasn’t enough charging infrastructure in the country to accommodate PHEV drivers’ demands, and 35% said electric cars were only good for travelling within cities.
The up-front cost is another important consideration for drivers; 70% say the cars are too expensive.
Also, 31% of respondents expressed concern about the effect a PHEV would have on their electricity bill if they were to charge the car at home due to the continuing energy crisis.