A survey including electric vehicle (EV) drivers in Belgium has found that almost 83% of drivers are generally happy with the distance they can travel on a battery charge. Overwhelmingly, they say that the main disadvantage of EVs is the price.
Some 1,536 drivers were questioned as part of the 2023 European Alternative Fuels Observatory (EAFO) survey, including 96 Belgian EV drivers surveyed by VUB and Belgian motoring organisation Touring. The results show that almost 83% of drivers find the range of their EV to be "always" or "generally" satisfactory.
"One of the main obstacles has always been range, and the fear of not reaching one's destination, even with a fully-charged battery. However, this criticism does not seem to come from EV drivers themselves," said Touring in a press release.
Of the drivers questioned, 41% own an EV with an official range of between 401 and 500 kilometres, while 30% drive a model with a range of between 301 and 400 kilometres.
Only 30% of drivers said that their cars actually achieve the official range, with 23% saying the range is around 10% less, 32% saying that the range is between 10% and 20% less than advertised, and 14% saying that there is a gap of more than 20% between the official range and reality.
However, Touring said the survey results show that 83% of EV drivers are satisfied with their range (with 32% saying it is "always" enough and 51% saying it is "usually" enough).
Pros and cons of EVs
When asked about the advantages of EVs, 45% of drivers highlighted the climate benefits in terms of helping to reduce global warming, while 35% noted that EVs have no direct tailpipe emissions polluting the environment. Some 30% of respondents also remarked on the silence, driving comfort and performance of EVs, while 26% cited the benefit of savings compared to a petrol or diesel car.
Among the disadvantages, the largest was the price of EVs, as 74% of respondents felt that electric vehicles are too expensive. Meanwhile, 29% believe there are not enough public charging points, and 29% regret not being able to charge at home. While the majority of EV drivers surveyed said they are happy with the range of their vehicle, range is still a concern for 24% of those surveyed.
Of those who already drive an EV, 83% say they would choose an electric car again. When the time comes to change their car, 55% of those who do not yet have an electric car said they plan to buy one, as they expect the price to become more affordable.
When asked what would convince them to choose an EV, 38% replied "a sufficiently high purchase subsidy for an EV". For 30% of those questioned, exemption from registration tax and road tax was also an important factor in persuading them to buy an electric car, in addition to purchase subsidies. "The cost aspect is therefore very important, and drivers are looking for incentives," said Touring.
