Electric cars – BEIS consultation response12 Apr 2017

The RAC Foundation believes that there are four key barriers to the development of the UK’s electric vehicle market: retail, range, recharging, residual value.

  • Retail – a relatively small range of vehicles on the market at relatively expensive prices
  • Range – consumer concerns about the ability of EVs to have the capacity to do the journeys they want
  • Recharging – a real or perceived lack of adequate and universally compatible charging points
  • Residual value – uncertainty about what EVs will be worth on the second-hand market

The Foundation made the observations in its response to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee inquiry into the role of electric vehicles in the transition to a low-carbon economy and as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy.