MSE Poll: Have you got an electric car?

MSE_Chris_O

Poll started 4 April 2023

The push towards electric vehicles (EVs) is growing and is likely to become more of a focus with the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to be banned by the end of 2030. For all the need-to-knows on EVs see our electric vehicle guide. Let us know in this weeks poll whether you've already got an EV or if you’d consider buying one next?

Click here to vote in the poll.

Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below.
If you haven't already, join the forum to reply.

Thanks!

LizfromLeeds

Not an easy to answer survey. I have a petrol hybrid which wasn’t included as an alternative. Happy with it for now as use of petrol halved but no ‘electric anxiety’ on longer journeys 

Solwaylass

Considered going electric last time changed a car but it just didn’t stack up. Will consider in future but will have to see ! 

MikeJXE

No and do not intend ever to have one.

When those in charge of Tesla drop the price dealers are stuck with their resales and can't afford to reduce asking price 

I can see in a few years time there will be thousands run out of juice through lack of charging points 

baser999

Just in the process of replacing our ‘non-compliant ULEZ expansion Land Rover’ a perfectly good, well maintained, full service history etc etc. No scope to buy an EV here, cannot charge at home and no charging points locally, so forced to buy petrol.
Thank you Mr Khan 

geoffW

I've had an electric vehicle for quite a few years but don't like the worry of running out of juice, I have had to walk home many times (mobility scooter).

NigelFR

There are plenty of tall tales of mythical EV owners running out of power.  You have to be pretty daft to not learn your lesson the first time. It's never happened to me: just like with an internal combustion engine vehicle all you have to do is keep an eye on the gauge. It ain't rocket science.

There are also lots of people who have never owned an EV expressing their preconceived ideas or maybe what they've been programmed to believe by their favourite comic... Do you fill up your dinofuel car every time you use it? Of course not, same with an EV. You don't have to recharge it every journey. And puhleeese: is it really possible in a supposedly developed country like the UK that vast swathes of the population don't have private or public access to a power socket?

baser999

NigelFR said:

And puhleeese: is it really possible in a supposedly developed country like the UK that vast swathes of the population don't have private or public access to a power socket?

Sorry to blow away any ideas you have but yes, it is possible that there are some (I would suggest a huge number) of the population living in this developed country of ours that have no facility at home to plug in and charge an EV - personally we’re in a terraced house on a busy street, with a bus route, have to park two wheels up and there’s insufficient spaces for the existing cars, let alone installing chargers. Running an extension lead across the pavements not really an option. There are three chargers about 1/2 mile away, occupied everyday by non-EV but the council and police don’t see it’s their problem to move them. It’s not convenient to have to drive off elsewhere to use shopping centre chargers.
So puhleeese, it’s not always as easy as your situation clearly is

Stockie

While I would like my next car to be electric, I don't have the money for one & I feel that there isn't enough charging infrastructure yet. When every supermarket / large public car park has charging points (hopefully soon) then I'll have one. So likely not the next car but the one after that.

Three_Dancing_Dragons

The poll has asked two different questions. The question is "Do you have an electric vehicle?", in which case, yes, but the heading is "Do you have an electric CAR?", in which case, no. Like many other people with a physical disability, I rely on a 100% electric mobility scooter/powerchair for pretty much all my transport needs and it gets connected to a charger and plugged into a standard three prong socket overnight to fill up the big gel batteries under the seat.

Newer models using Lithium batteries charge up a lot faster but I haven't yet worked out how to work out a precise cost for my electricity use. A decade ago my dealer told me it was "pennies a time" but prices have gone up a bit since then. Also my (green) electricity supplier offers a special EV Inclusive rate which sounded ideal but for reasons I'm not entirely sure of, they don't feel I am qualified for. Most car trips are less than 5 miles so it shouldn't be the 30-mile range, perhaps there is something to do with the 4-6 mph speed or we're assume not to travel as far. I'd like to work out how longer slower trips on a smaller bank work out compared to faster trips on a larger bank across the same distance, and also to inform any future decisions of gel VS lithium models. 

gsmh

As is often the case these surveys give skewed results. I had to vote 'no' for the question asking if I would I consider an electric vehicle. The reason I had to say 'no' is because I park on the street and have no regular place of work so charging would be impossible. Saying 'no' makes it appear that I am not interested in electric vehicles, where the truth is that I absolutely am, but the infrastructure is not in place. A good survey allows all to answer in a satisfactory way. It doesn't force respondents down a particular route. A poor survey folks, engineered to create headlines.

I currently have a self-charging hybrid but was not permitted to mention that at all.