Fast-rising electric vehicle take-up is having a positive impact on driver perceptions, including range and charging capabilities.

Only 14% of respondents now actively avoid longer journeys and 47% say that they do not need to charge daily

The 2023 edition of the Shell Recharge EV Driver Survey, now in its sixth consecutive year, looked at the view of nearly 25,000 drivers across Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.

The report, which includes fleet and retail drivers, found two-fifths (42%) of respondents had purchased an EV within the last year and over two-thirds (67%) within the last two years. Of this, the overwhelming majority (87%) were new, compared to 27% for all vehicles in Europe.

The data shows driver experiences have largely been very positive. Only 14% now actively avoid longer journeys. The number of respondents that are travelling to other European countries by EV, and having a good charging experience, has increased by 5 percentage points, while reluctance to drive abroad because of charging or range concerns is down 7 percentage points and 5 percentage points respectively.

Drivers are also becoming more relaxed about when EVs are charged, with 47% of respondents saying that they do not need to charge daily.

Florian Glattes, vice president, e-mobility solutions at Shell, said: “The EV adoption growth curve is clear from the data, and it is encouraging to see that many of these drivers are feeling positive about the experience. However, if we are to continue accelerating at pace then industry must listen to the needs of drivers and work together to effectively continue removing barriers into entry and further enhance the customer experience.”

The research, conducted by LCP Delta, also shows developments in driver charging needs.

Nearly half (47%) of respondents say they would prefer to have a single method of accessing all public charge points even if that means they were to pay slightly more per charge. Currently, almost a quarter (23%) of drivers have four applications installed to manage and make the most of their EV and the same percentage of drivers have four or more charge cards to access public charging infrastructure with.

Two thirds of respondents (66%) say they would like their charge point provider to offer them an EV-specific energy tariff; while 48% say they want smart charging services to be offered as part of their charge point deal, and a third (33%) want devices such as solar panels and home batteries included.

However, nearly half (44%) of EV drivers say they do not have a charge point installed at home and the report outlines several opportunities for businesses to get involved in the charging ecosystem through destination charging.

In fact, nearly half (49%) of EV drivers already say they choose where to shop and travel based on the availability of charge points, and 57% said they would visit destinations more frequently if they had charge points.

Florian Glattes continued: “With EV driver numbers growing, it is becoming increasingly clear what drivers want and need to have a great electric experience: speed, reliability, convenience and experience. We are very proud to be collaborating with industry-leading partners across sectors, including automakers and real estate destinations, to improve those four key areas by offering innovative solutions. I believe businesses not only have a significant potential to add value for EV drivers by entering the charging ecosystem, but also a graspable opportunity to boost their bottom lines.”

To read the Shell Recharge EV Driver Survey 2023 in full, please click here.