Survey reveals confusion over electric cars - Car Rental News
Survey reveals confusion over electric cars
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Car Rental News - 21/11/2011
A recent poll has show that electric car sales may suffer due to consumer confusion.
The news comes via market research firm GfK Automotive, whose recent survey of more than 3,100 motorists revealed that insufficient understanding about electric car practicalities is most common among consumers interested in buying one.
The survey showed that only 8 per cent of respondents said they would likely or definitely be buying and electric vehicle at some point. However, it was also revealed that among those keen to buy the product many overestimate electric cars’ range and underestimate the associated costs and the amount of charge time required to utilise the vehicles.
GfK points out that many electric cars cost up to £25,000 even with the help of a £5,000 government grant, but about 44 per cent of those reporting that they were in the market to buy one believed that they cost about the same or even less than traditional automobiles.
Moreover, about 60 per cent of consumers intending to buy an electric vehicle estimated that they would normally only need to charge the car for around two hours, when the actual figure is in fact about six hours.
Francisco Lopez, GfK Automotive’s managing director said that despite all the investments that both electric car makers and the government have made toward the promotion of electric vehicles it was clear that the public was still largely confused and even uninformed on the matter.
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