Survey report: Europe more reluctant to EV switch than US

EVs are on average up to 30% more expensive than internal combustion engine cars.

A recent survey by Shell revealed that drivers in Europe are more reluctant to switch to EVs from ICE cars than those in the United States.

According to a survey of 15,000 drivers across the world, including Britain, China, Germany and the United States, the main reason given is the cost of electric vehicles.

EVs are on average up to 30% more expensive than internal combustion engine cars.

This year, 41% of respondents in Europe said they would consider switching to an electric car compared with 48% last year, while in the United States, the number fell three percentage points to 31%, according to the survey results.

"Europe surprised us," said David Bunch, Shell's chief for mobility and convenience. "The single biggest barrier to entry is the cost of the vehicle. Range anxiety is still there but it's diminishing."

Regarding charging infrastructure, only about half of European drivers reported that public charging had improved in the last year. This figure is below China's 74% and 80% in the United States. Only 17% of European drivers said public charging offered value for money, compared with 69% in China and 71% in the United States.

Shell has its focus on EV strategy on fast, on-the-go charging points rather than home-charging, running 75,000 charging points. Its core EV markets are China, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, the Netherlands and the United States.

Source: Reuters