It’s been a busy few weeks in the EV market, with a new superstar reveal for Mercedes, skyrocketing interest in EV ownership, and the never-ending drag of trying to find a convenient public charge point (clue: there aren’t any). It’s all here in our latest roundup…
Hamilton wheeled out to promote Mercedes EQS
Mercedes’ new fully electric car, the £80k EQS, isn’t out until next year, but Lewis Hamilton has already bagged himself one. Acquiring the new EV is part of the F1 star’s efforts to reduce his personal impact on the environment and comes as he announces he has already managed to offset the carbon footprint generated throughout his entire racing career. Posting a picture of himself beside the car, Hamilton wrote on Instagram: “Recently I’ve been making many changes in my life to reduce my impact on the environment… I have offset my carbon footprint from my Formula 1 career dating back to 2007, I have reduced travel where possible, I have gone plant-based and outside of the track, I try to use electric cars wherever possible.” Hamilton also revealed he is working with Mercedes to move all of their fleet towards being fully electric.
Most drivers who use public chargers live nowhere near them
A new study has revealed that nine out of ten drivers in the UK who rely on public EV charging stations to charge their vehicles are not within reasonable walking distance of a charge point. Researchers found that just under 10% of households were within a five-minute walk from the nearest public charging station. This distance, and the inconvenience it presents, is often cited as an off-putting factor for people thinking about switching to an electric vehicle. The results of the study come as interest in home EV charging stations continues to grow. With 18 electric vehicles fighting over the use of each public charger in the UK, plus the fact 90% of people live more than five minutes away from the nearest one, it is little wonder that more and more EV drivers are choosing to get a home EV charger. And while public charging provision is slowly expanding, we expect the number of people charging at home to grow exponentially in the next few years.
Interest in EV ownership growing, says AA
As many as 47% of drivers say they will consider making their next vehicle purchase an EV, according to a new survey by the AA. Indeed, stats like these – alongside the new vehicle market share of EVs, topping 44,000 new cars on the road – have proved so compelling for the breakdown and recovery specialist, they are now launching a dedicated EV support package to reflect increased ownership and demand for services. As well as contact centre staff who will provide EV drivers with support at the end of the phone, the AA is also exploring a field-based technician option to maintain the country’s growing EV infrastructure. As part of the EV Support managed services offer, the AA will support drivers if they need help at a public charge point, handling calls about both the electric car and electric charging infrastructure.
Charging your electric vehicle shouldn’t be inconvenient or challenging. In fact, it should be the opposite! If you’re ready to switch to a home EV charger, speak to us today about the best stations – and the funding you can access to reduce costs.