Electric Vehicles UK, from Octopus Electric Vehicles and the Fully Charged Show, aims to give drivers easier access to facts, while dispelling myths.
The new industry body was launched at a special event in London where Octopus founder, Greg Jackson, urged the industry to help drivers discover the very clear advantages of EVs.
The event, at Octopus HQ, was attended by more than 120 senior professionals from across the UK’s EV, renewables and green tech sectors, marking the beginning of a collaborative effort to better educate those looking to switch to electric cars.
Electric Vehicles UK will be spearheaded by Interim CEO Dan Caesar for the first year, after which a full-time CEO will be appointed.
Sales of pure EVs have plateaued as a percentage of new sales in the UK over the last 12 months, with mixed government messaging and a rise of online misinformation being blamed for driver hesitation.
Satisfaction ‘remains high’ among EV drivers
However, satisfaction among EV drivers remains high, with new research from Octopus showing that 96% of EV owners plan to buy another electric car. At the same time, almost half of non-EV drivers would like their next car to be electric, and are looking for trusted information and experts to help them make the switch.
Dan Caesar, Interim CEO of Electric Vehicles UK, said: “Electric vehicles have become something of a lightning rod for headline writers, guaranteeing as they do, a significant number of hits. Through multiple surveys on the subject, we know that nine out of 10 battery EV drivers won’t go back to combustion engine vehicles.
“Meanwhile, almost 50% of ICE (internal combustion engine) drivers are considering switching to electric, so there’s a clear disconnect between the headlines and lived experience. By uniting under the ‘Electric Vehicles UK’ brand we believe we can be much more effective in communicating information and factual evidence of the good, and the bad, aspects of EV ownership.”
Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “As the UK’s largest electric-only leasing company, we see first-hand how much drivers love these cars. They’re cheaper to run, packed with the latest tech and great fun to drive. But we know that misinformation, or a lack of clarity at least, is holding some potential buyers back. We are proud to be the lead partner for Electric Vehicles UK, and to enable the industry to better communicate the benefits of electric car ownership.”
Image: The launch of Electric Vehicles UK (supplied by Octopus Energy).