Rural areas, including Scotland and South-West are being left behind in the UK’s EV transition according to new analysis.

The latest Road to 2030 Report from Autotrader, revealed strong momentum behind EVs last year and just under half a million new electric cars were registered in the UK, or nearly one in four new cars sold. The arrival of more brands in the UK, taking the total to 72 up from around 40 pre‑pandemic, incentives such as the Electric Car Grant, and strong product discounting have all helped to increase choice and in turn boost demand.

However, regional divides remain, and analysis by Autotrader, based on the share of users which have viewed at least one EV on the site in past 90 days, reveals a stark regional divide by postcode.
Ian Plummer, chief customer officer, Autotrader, noted: “But whilst growth is positive, the current levels are insufficient, and our data shows the UK’s EV transition isn’t currently fair or evenly distributed. It’s a two-speed road to 2030. If we’re serious about nationwide progress, we need to bring everybody with us rather than entrenching economic divides. In practice, this means widening the scope of the Electric Car Grant to the used market.”

The postcode data also shows an urban/rural divide in electric car consideration which is supported by consumer research from Autotrader, showing 85 per cent of city dwellers will consider them, compared to 45 per cent for those living in a rural environment.

The more rural areas have longer average driving distances all of which make switching to electric feel riskier and less practical for drivers, even though that’s not necessarily the case, as both regions have more rapid chargers per head than the UK overall.

Plummer added: “The Government needs to rethink its policy on taxing EVs. Introducing pay per mile charging sends mixed messages to consumers which risks delaying the UK’s transition at a time when only around 5 per cent of cars on UK roads are electric.”

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