Cost is the biggest barrier to electric vehicle adoption, says Zenith

The biggest barrier to choosing an electric vehicle (EV) is cost, not range, according to new research from Zenith.

Its third EVXperience Report, found that early adopter worries about range and charging infrastructure appear to be declining, with just 16.6% of drivers concerned about running out of charge mid-journey, compared to 34.2% in 2024.

More than two-thirds (67.5%) of drivers say that they are confident using the public charging network. However, while this shows that access and reliability is improving, 85% of drivers believe the cost of charging publicly is too high. 

The Zenith research also found that more than a third (35.8%) of drivers would transition back to an internal combustion engine (ICE) car if the monthly cost of an EV became more expensive than a petrol and diesel equivalent, with 34.4% reverting if there were no beneficial tax incentives. 

The survey, which polled more than 3,650 EV drivers, also found that when it comes to running costs, more than half (55.2%) of drivers said they selected an EV because the cost of refuelling is less than a petrol or diesel vehicle, but almost a fifth (19.6%) would ignore the wider benefits and switch back if the running costs for an EV increased beyond those of an equivalent petrol or diesel car. 

Meanwhile, nine out of 10 EV drivers say they are happy with their vehicle, and knowing what they know now, three-quartes (74%) would still select an EV over a petrol or diesel vehicle. 

Ian Hughes, CEO of Zenith’s corporate and consumer divisions, said: “Since the first iteration of our EVX Report in 2023, it’s clear the initial concerns around ‘new’ technology such as range anxiety and an unreliable public charging network are easing. 

“And, while it’s good to see that new EV registrations accounted for 25.3% of the overall market share in February 2025, the majority of these sales are through the incentivised company car and salary sacrifice schemes. 

“The Government’s ZEV mandate has put pressure on manufacturers to sell more EVs, but for most drivers, the cost of buying new is pricing them out of the market. 

“In order to accelerate the transition, we need to explore more ways to make EVs accessible, such as helping to create a thriving used market. Without access to lower cost vehicles, we’ll never make EVs the vehicle of choice and help reach our net zero targets.”