Written evidence from the Sussex Energy Group, Science and Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex (ELV0065) 

Written evidence to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee
Electric Vehicle Enquiry
15th September 2023

This written evidence has been compiled by Prof Benjamin Sovacool, Prof Peter Fussey and Siobhán Stack-Maddox from Sussex Energy Group, Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex, drawing on relevant interdisciplinary research and expertise. We respond to selected questions under the sections ‘Experience of using an EV’, ‘National and regional issues’ and ‘International perspectives’, and would be delighted to provide further written or oral evidence to the Committee.
 

Experience of using an EV

18. What are the main challenges that UK consumers face in their use of EVs?

A user-centred evidence synthesis of studies examining the challenges facing EV uptake is summarised in the table below.[1] Challenges relating to personal preferences and functionality of EVs include the ‘usual suspects’:

• Uncertainty of cost savings.
• Concerns about practicality.
• Electric driving range being inadequate or limited; and
• Charging access and timing being inadequate, limited, or slow.

The limited availability of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) makes and models is noted by one study, a supply-side issue that is increasingly gaining attention.
 

Other research has explored both the Nordic and Chinese markets for EVs, which are similar to the UK. The main challenges include: the price and availability of an EV, range anxiety, concerns about battery lifetime and performance, and availability of charging infrastructure.[2]

19. What are the main benefits that UK consumers could realise from using an EV?

Our research surveyed experts about the main benefits of using EVs in Europe and created a list of more than 20 co-benefits to EV adoption.[3] The top four benefits identified were: 1) Reduced emissions, 2) Reduced noise, 3) Better performance and 4) Economic savings. These benefits would all have a range of direct and positive impacts on UK consumers’ lives, from improving physical environments via enhancing air quality and reducing noise pollution, to personal financial savings.   

Cost savings and reduced environmental impacts are some of the most important benefits to consumers, when taking a sociotechnical approach that includes financial, social, and behavioural aspects of EV usage, and therefore provides a broader view of the diverse benefits of EV adoption for consumers.[4] Given the currently high up-front cost of purchasing an EV, cost savings could come from policy incentives, such as subsidies, or charging vehicles at controlled times when electricity prices are lower. Meanwhile, environmental benefits, including reduced air pollution and climate change impacts due to lower carbon emissions, are dependent on increased integration of renewable energy sources to power EVs. Our evidence synthesis found that EVs can also play a positive role in consumers’ sense of personal identity, in terms of being green, innovative, novel, or adventurous. In some cases, EVs also seem to stimulate social interactions and a sense of belonging.[5]

20. How prepared are car dealerships, service networks, repairs and maintenance organisations, breakdown services and aftermarket suppliers to meet the growing EV uptake?

Much of the debate around the progress of EV adoption has focused on technical issues such as driving range, charging infrastructure and their effects on power grids. Consequently, discussions have neglected to look at how the car retail industry is responding to policy and industry strategies, in particular when offering EVs to consumers alongside petrol and diesel vehicles. Our research has found that dealers particularly can be a major barrier to EV adoption at the point of sale, and often rely on deceptive and dismissive practices to make sales.

Considering most consumers do not have previous knowledge of EVs, and also that current market conditions favour petrol and diesel vehicles, consumer experiences at car dealerships can strongly influence their EV purchasing decision. From dealership executives to salespersons on the shop floor, those involved in automotive sales need better knowledge, confidence, and willingness to encourage EV purchases. To this end, training schemes should be implemented for all staff and sales personnel around EV technology, vehicle specifications and sales processes (thus diffusing the capability currently held only by specialist salespersons), and sales commissions should be adjusted to make successful sales of EVs more attractive.

The broader automotive industry needs to develop and improve EV promotion, both to consumers and dealers. Marketing and promotional campaigns should be developed to communicate the benefits, specifications, and availability of EVs to franchise dealerships. These messages and materials should not focus exclusively on the environmental attributes of EVs, but also on elements of superior performance, such as ease of operation, luxury, comfort, acceleration, and safety.

Policymakers need to craft a more competitive policy mix for EVs to succeed at the retail level, where EVs should be priced competitively, alongside petrol and diesel options. This can be achieved by harmonising transport policy through a bonus-malus system, or other forms of subsidies and taxes. Incentives should also be introduced for intermediaries such as dealers and manufacturers, stimulating their motivation to sell EVs to consumers.[6]

22. The Government recently published the draft legislation of “Public Charge Point Regulations 2023”. What assessment have you made of the draft legislation text, and what contribution will it make in ensuring the charging experience is standardized and reliable for consumers?

Standardising the interfaces, adding contactless payment, and allowing the use of one app to access multiple charge points should all help to improve the user experience. The impact of smart charging features like these is currently being studied as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project eCharge4Drivers.[7]

23. What assessment do you make of the requirements set out in the draft legislation of “Public Charge Point Regulations 2023” for charge point operators to make data free and publicly available, and how may this improve the EV charging experience for consumers?

We would question whether pricing data, included in Section 10, is ‘reference’ data – i.e., something that doesn’t change – since this may prevent flexible and smart charging approaches. We suggest that this should be removed from the list of ‘reference’ data. Increased charge point availability should help improve the user experience and may be combined with booking systems to enable scheduled charging.

24. In terms of charging infrastructure, are there unique barriers facing consumers in areas of low affluence and/or multi-occupancy buildings, such as shared housing or high-rise flats? Do you consider public EV charging points to be accessible and equitable compared to home-charging points? What can be done to improve accessibility and equitability?

Providing data on charging point availability and coordinated booking tools will help provide a flexible EV experience for users who do not have access to home-charging. This applies to consumers who do not have off-street parking, in addition to consumers in areas of low affluence and/or multi-occupancy buildings.
 

National and regional issues

33. What role do you see local authorities playing in the delivering the 2030 phase out target, particularly in relation to planning regulations, charge points and working with District Network Operators? How can government best support local authorities in their roles?

Local authorities play a key role in driving the introduction of public chargers. In particular, coordinating the parking and charging teams helps to integrate the management of charge points. There is also scope for local authorities that have been successful in rolling out charge points to help coach other authorities.
 

International perspectives

34. What are the successful approaches to the rollout and uptake of EVs in other countries, and what can the UK learn from these cases?

 The Nordic region offers a particularly compelling case of testing both the content of policies, as well as expert opinions on policy effectiveness, for multiple reasons.[8] The close cooperation and integration between the five Nordic countries, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, on a range of topics including climate change, electricity production and transportation is well established internationally. They share relatively strong climate policies, high public tax levels, and some of the highest renewable energy generation levels in the world. They also agree about the impact of road, sea, and air transport on climate change. In fact, due to their low CO2 emitting electricity generation from hydro, nuclear, bioenergy, wind, and geothermal sources, for many of these countries, transport is one of the primary remaining sectors emitting greenhouse gases.

These countries have used a mix of targets, taxes, and incentives to steer EV adoption, with an emphasis on both incentives and ‘carrots’ e.g., tax credits and rebates or access to charging infrastructure, but also phase-outs or ‘sticks’, e.g., restrictions on petrol fuelled cars, or higher taxes on fossil fuels or conventional forms of automobility. See figure on next page:

Energy and transport policies in the Nordic region

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