Public lack confidence when buying used EVs

Building up consumer confidence in battery health and low-cost used car loans could do more for EV adoption than the Electric Car Grant, says AA and Electrifying.com

The next phase of the UK’s electric vehicle transition will be won, or lost, in the used market, not the new car showroom, suggests new consumer research.

According to an survey of UK drivers conducted by The AA and Electrifying.com, there is a significant gap between perception and reality when it comes to EV batteries. 

Just 2% of drivers believe a battery typically lasts longer than a petrol or diesel engine, despite growing real-world evidence that modern EV batteries often outlast their combustion equivalents. 

This lack of understanding is directly feeding into low confidence in the used EV market. Just 3% of drivers said they currently feel confident buying a used electric car – a figure that has slipped from a high of 8% in previous years. 

Concerns about battery life are clearly influencing this, with 38% saying a formalised battery health certificate would give them more confidence. 

Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, said: “I’ve long argued that the real engine of the EV transition is the used market, yet policy continues to focus almost exclusively on new cars. This data shows the next phase of adoption won’t be driven by grants for a select group of new EVs, but by building trust and confidence in the used cars that most drivers buy.

“If the government is serious about accelerating uptake, it needs to stop overlooking the used market and start supporting it properly. Practical measures like requiring standardised independent battery health checks, better consumer education and access to low-cost finance would do far more to unlock demand than continuing to prioritise new electric vehicle sales.”

While cost remains a significant barrier to EV adoption across the board, it is significantly lower for used electric cars than for new ones, pointing to confidence, understanding and perceived risk as the bigger challenge. 

More than half of drivers (57%) say new electric cars cost too much to buy, compared with 30% who say the same about used EVs, suggesting that while price still matters, the used market is already far closer to what consumers consider achievable.

The research also shows that targeted, practical measures would have far more impact on behaviour than headline incentives for a small number of new electric cars – particularly given that used cars make up around 75% of annual sales. While a significant 9% of drivers say the government’s electric car grant has encouraged them to consider buying a new EV, support rises sharply when attention shifts to the used market. Some 44% of drivers say incentives towards the purchase of a used EV - such as the interest-free loan funded by Transport Scotland - would make them more likely to buy one.

Edmund King, AA president said: “The AA’s latest UK EV Readiness Index shows that the conditions that support drivers’ shift to EVs remain challenging for many. A big uptick in the sales of used EVs would be a game changer. The AA/Electrifying.com research shows drivers need convincing on battery longevity before buying used EVs but should be reassured that the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate requires manufacturers to provide an 8-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty which will cover most used EVs. The AA and Electrifying.com are committed to help give confidence to drivers to go electric.” 

The findings are based on a nationally representative survey conducted by the AA in partnership with Electrifying.com in December 2025. The data was taken from 11,833 UK drivers who do not currently drive an electric vehicle as their main car, providing insight into attitudes among those yet to switch. Respondents were drawn from across the UK and reflect different age groups and genders.