The introduction of the Government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) this summer is helping to tip the balance in favour of EVs, a new survey by Renault has found.

Over a third (35%) of British drivers say they are more likely to buy an electric car following the introduction of the Electric Car Grant (ECG) in August – rising to 54% among Londoners.

Nationally, 55% of those surveyed said they expected to buy an electric car within the next two years, underlining a sharp rise in intent. So far in 2025, 21.9% of new car registrations have been for electric vehicles.

But the survey also revealed significant generational differences in attitudes to buying an EV.

Younger adults aged 17-34 were by far the most likely demographic to make the switch in the next two years, with 85% saying they would do so. Across all age ranges, those living in Greater London once again topped the poll, with 80% saying they were likely to make the switch to electric within the next 48 months.

In contrast, just 27% of those aged over 55 said they were likely to switch to an electric car in the next two years. Greater range (45%), more charging points (47%) and lower starting prices (34%) were the main needs for this age group, whereas for the youngest group surveyed, aged 17-24, the ability to charge quickly was rated as the biggest desire (48%), followed by longer battery range (39%) and the availability of more public charging points (36%).

Notably, just 46% of women compared to 63% of men described themselves as very likely to make the switch to an electric car in the next two years. Lower prices (46% vs 41%) and a greater availability of used electric cars (13% vs 11%) were areas of the market that concerned women more than men.

Reacting to the survey, motoring expert and championship-winning racing driver Jason Plato said: “I believe that education is key to accelerating interest in electric car buying. While we have to respect people’s concerns, many of them are looking outdated as some of the latest cars to be launched offer incredible technology at great value, including long battery range and running costs that mean they can be much cheaper to own over their lifetime than a car with an engine.”

All four of Renault’s electric vehicles – the R4, R5, Megane and Renault Scenic – are eligible for a £1,500 saving under the grant.

This week, Renault is opening a new brand store, called rnlt, in Battersea Power Station retail centre, dedicated to highlighting its electric car range as well as showcasing the Renault 5 Turbo 3E concept, from 19-21 September, following its run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year.

Half of dealers say new electric car grant is ‘useful boost’ for sector

Almost half of dealers (48%) say the Government’s new electric car grant provides a “useful boost” for the electric car market.

The research by Startline Motor Finance also shows 43% believe anything that makes electric cars more accessible is a good idea, and 27% say that it is positive the scheme favours UK-built models.

However, 40% say lack of access to chargers is a bigger problem for electric cars than affordability and 32% that the environmental impact-based banding system used to calculate the Government’s grants is too complex.

Furthermore, 28% think knock-on effects mean the initiative could further depress electric car residual values while 25% say that a similar scheme is more urgently needed to boost used electric car demand, echoing comments from the BVRLA. Also, 20% say that the initiative doesn’t cover enough models.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “There’s been quite a lot of noise in the motor industry about the electric car scheme, with some complaints that it doesn’t cover more vehicles and that only a few models receive the maximum grant.

“Our research shows that around half of dealers generally see the initiative as a positive, probably in the sense that anything aiding electrification is a good thing, especially when it comes to promoting affordability.

“However, there is some quite widespread scepticism, and it is especially notable that around a quarter of our respondents think similar funding is instead needed for electric used cars, suggesting they believe prices need to fall more in that part of the market.”