Consumer confidence in buying used EVs has hit a new low, as concerns over battery life prevent drivers from going electric.

A survey of UK drivers carried out by the AA and Electrifying.com found that just 3% of drivers say they currently feel confident buying a used electric car – down from a high of 8% in previous years – even though used vehicles are widely expected to drive the next phase of mass adoption.

This lack of confidence in EVs is the direct result of a significant gap between perception and reality when it comes to EV batteries. Just 2% of drivers believe a battery typically lasts longer than a petrol or diesel engine, despite growing real-world evidence that modern EV batteries often outlast their combustion equivalents.

The study also found that battery health certificates could help counter this, with 38% of respondents saying a formalised scheme would give them more confidence.

Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, said consumer confidence in battery health and low-cost used car loans could do more for EV adoption than the Government’s Electric Car Grant.

“I’ve long argued that the real engine of the EV transition is the used market, yet policy continues to focus almost exclusively on new cars. This data shows the next phase of adoption won’t be driven by grants for a select group of new EVs, but by building trust and confidence in the used cars that most drivers buy.

“If the Government is serious about accelerating uptake, it needs to stop overlooking the used market and start supporting it properly. Practical measures such as requiring standardised independent battery health checks, better consumer education and access to low-cost finance would do far more to unlock demand than continuing to prioritise new electric vehicle sales.”

The research by the AA and Electrifying.com found that cost is a far less significant barrier for used electric cars than for new ones. More than half of drivers (57%) say new electric cars cost too much to buy, compared with 30% who say the same about used EVs, suggesting that while price still matters, the used market is already far closer to what consumers consider achievable.

Both companies have pointed to confidence, understanding and perceived risk as the bigger challenges.

The research, carried out among almost 12,000 UK drivers who do not currently drive an electric vehicle as their main car, shows that targeted, practical measures would have far more impact on behaviour than headline incentives for a small number of new electric cars – particularly given that used cars make up around 75% of annual sales. While a significant 9% of drivers say the Government’s Electric Car Grant has encouraged them to consider buying a new EV, support rises sharply when attention shifts to the used market. Some 44% of drivers say incentives towards the purchase of a used EV – such as the interest-free loan funded by Transport Scotland – would make them more likely to buy one.

Edmund King, AA president said: “The AA’s latest UK EV Readiness Index shows that the conditions that support drivers’ shift to EVs remain challenging for many. A big uptick in the sales of used EVs would be a game changer. The AA/Electrifying.com research shows drivers need convincing on battery longevity before buying used EVs but should be reassured that the ZEV mandate requires manufacturers to provide an eight-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty, which will cover most used EVs. The AA and Electrifying.com are committed to help give confidence to drivers to go electric.”