Price and reliability main reasons stopping drivers buying an electric car, survey finds

The survey of 1,000 motorists for online seller Carzone found people in rural areas were more likely to say electric vehicles (EVs) were too expensive to buy, while more than a third of rural dwellers said a lack of public charging points was a barrier to them purchasing an EV.

Almost a third of motorists (32%) say they plan to make a hybrid, electric or plug-in hybrid their next car purchase, but the costs and reliability concerns are among the reasons stopping people from going electric, according to a new survey.

The survey of 1,000 motorists for online seller Carzone found people in rural areas were more likely to say electric vehicles (EVs) were too expensive to buy, while more than a third of rural dwellers said a lack of public charging points was a barrier to them purchasing an EV.

It comes as sales for EVs have rebounded early in 2025 after what industry figures had described as “falling off a cliff” in recent times, amid concerns over public charging, the cost of living and struggling manufacturers.

Furthermore, climate change experts in Ireland have urged this Government to incentivise take-up of EVs as part of our decarbonisation efforts and argued financial savings have "not been correctly sold to people”.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s programme manager for electric vehicles Emer Barry, who is quoted in the Carzone report, said sentiment around EVs had gained momentum recently, with lower-cost models hitting the market.

“As a wider offering becomes available, more households can consider an EV for their next car, whether it be a new or used EV,” she said.

As more public charging infrastructure becomes available, it will give confidence to those looking to purchase or who own an EV that they can charge on longer journeys. It should be noted that the majority of EV charging is done at home, and new smart meter EV tariffs make this even more affordable. 

The top three concerns cited by people as the reason for not going electric was the expense (40%), reliability concerns (31%) and electricity costs (28%).

Among young drivers, there was a much greater willingness to choose a more environmentally friendly vehicle, according to the survey.

Elsewhere in the report, it found diesel remains the most common fuel type in Ireland, at 47%, followed by petrol at 42%.

On average, members of the public are paying €212 a month to run their car. Almost two in five people (38%) said they had cut back on their driving to reduce costs.

Insurance remains a key concern, with more than half of people (52%) reporting an increase in their premium last year, which was higher than previous reports.

When it came to buying a car, people aged 65 and over spent the most, while the 17-24 age group was the least likely to be purchasing a new car.

A third of people (33%) said they prioritised price when it came to buying a car, followed by 18% who said they prioritised reliability, with another 12% focusing on running costs.

Among new car buyers, more than a third (34%) said they planned to pay with cash or savings.

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Carzone added: “In 2024, buyers frequently searched for cars produced between 2020 and 2022 and priced between €20,000-€25,000.

"The most-searched new models include the BMW 5-Series, Volkswagen Golf, and Hyundai Tucson. Among EVs, the Volkswagen ID.4, Nissan Leaf, and Tesla Model 3 dominated searches, while the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota Rav4, and Toyota Corolla were the most sought-after hybrids.”