Londoners are much more enthusiastic about moving to electric cars than the rest of Britain, according to new research from Baringa Partners.

The majority of those in the capital (77 per cent) believe that pure electric cars will replace their petrol/diesel counterparts as the preferred type of car in the UK, while nationwide 68 per cent of people feel the same.

There is still work to be done to convince drivers of electric vehicles’ mainstream capabilities though, as while considerably more London residents were likely to consider an electric car next time they get a car, that was still just over a third at 36 per cent.

The national average was 18 per cent, while the lowest interest was in the East of England where 10 per cent of people said they would consider an electric car as their next vehicle.

As for what the concerns were regarding electric cars, 37 per cent of Londoners pointed to difficulties installing a home charger while 62 per cent expressed range anxiety, worrying they would not be able to travel far enough on a single charge.

Baringa surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,005 UK adults.

Oliver Rix, partner at Baringa, said this was good news for “the critical problem” of air qualities in cities.

He said:

These findings are hugely encouraging as they run counter to the prevailing wisdom that urban areas will be reluctant to embrace electric cars. It’s clear the capital is a ripe market for electric car manufacturers, with Londoners more optimistic about how long it will take for electric vehicles to become the car of choice than most industry predictions.

Just under a third of those in the capital said they thought electric cars offered better overall value for money than petrol and diesel cars, while a fifth of London residents said they felt electric cars were more stylish than traditional options, compared to the national average of eight per cent.

Source: City A.M