Global consulting firm Deloitte conducted a survey on consumers’ attitudes towards electric vehicles in seven European countries. According to the survey report, consumer interest in electric vehicles steadily rises as fuel prices increase. However, consumers responded in the survey that their attitude would be more positive when these vehicles meet their performance and price criteria, the report added.
Sixty-nine percent of the 4,760 consumers surveyed, from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the UK, said they were interested in buying or renting electric-powered vehicles in the near future. Still, the price of these vehicles will determine consumers’ buying behavior. The report also showed that consumer interest in electric vehicles declined when the fuel consumption of a gasoline engine car decreased to three liters per 100 kilometers. Moreover, 74 percent of respondents stated that they will only buy electric vehicles when the electric car is able to reach a distance of 480 kilometers without needing to be charged, while 67 percent said it was more important for them that the battery of the car can be fully charged in two hours.
Another crucial fact the Deloitte report noted is the pricing of this technology. Fifty-seven percent of consumers responded that they do not want to pay a premium for an electric vehicle, referring to a price comparable to gasoline or diesel engine cars. The report noted that the future of the electric car market heavily depends on state support such as tax incentives.
