A lack of access to home charging is the biggest objection given by drivers considering a used electric vehicle, new research shows.

More than half of people (52%) c0nsidering a used EV tell dealers that home charging is the main barrier

More than half of consumers mention this problem, according to dealers surveyed for May’s new Startline Used Car Tracker.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said it was possibly encouraging as it was a problem that could potentially be resolved fairly easily.

“If someone has the space for a charger to be fitted, then the dealer can provide support for this to happen, perhaps by entering into a partnership with a charger supplier to offer a fitting service, with a discount being negotiated.

“Of course, if the motorist lives in a terraced house or apartment without on-street charging, things are undeniably more difficult, but even this should be solved by increased infrastructure over the next few years.”

Other issues that dealers say are mentioned by customers include range being too low for their needs (48%), EVs being too expensive compared to ICE vehicles (37%) and fears that the battery will degrade quickly (35%).

Also, almost a third (32%) say they consumers are also worried about insurance costs, 30% don’t trust the technology and 27% are worried about EVs losing a lot of their value.

Burgess said: “These objections can be divided into myths and genuine issues. Battery degradation, for example, is highly unlikely to be a problem, and most EVs on sale today will still be covered by comprehensive battery warranties.

“Other doubts are more concrete. Insurance costs are undoubtedly a problem for some EV buyers at the moment, and EV values remain more volatile than ICE equivalents. These issues will only be resolved over time as the EV market further stabilises.”

Used electric vehicles have faced a tumultuous 18 months, with some models having fallen in value by more than 40% and a handful more than 50%.

With used EV supply set to increase significantly on the back of the ZEV mandate implemented from 2024, there have been calls for action to encourage consumers to go electric – including educational support and work to tackle myths but also support from government agencies to bridge the financial gap with comparable ICE vehicles, as well as help to fund home chargers.

The Government is exploring plans to make battery state of health (SOH) monitors compulsory on all new electric vehicles. It’s also convened a working group to identify potential barriers and solutions to the take-up of used EVs. However, a recent report by the House of Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee urged the Government to act much faster.

The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly for Startline Motor Finance by APD Global Research, a specialist in business intelligence reporting and customer experience programmes. This latest edition of the survey questioned 303 consumers and 60 dealers.