One of Ireland’s leading smart mobility services specialist Easytrip recently carried out research on new car purchases for the 231-registration period. The results were interesting revealing that 34% of motorists are considering the purchase of a new vehicle this year with hybrids being the main choice at 39%, followed by electric (EV) at 27%, diesel at 23% and finally petrol at 9%.
The survey was made up of 5,000 respondents of which, 83% stated that they don’t believe that Ireland will reach the target of 945,000* electric vehicles by 2030 and highlighted what they perceived to be the top five barriers of driving an EV as:
1. Purchase price
2. Public charging network
3. Driving range of vehicles
4. Length of charging time
5. Increase in cost of electricity
When asked about the main benefits of driving electric vehicles the following were revealed as the top five reasons to purchase one:
1. Low running costs
2. Better for the environment
3. Cost savings over time (fuel, maintenance, motor tax)
4. Government purchase grants for EVs
5. Public charging network
One in six respondents to the survey also highlighted that recent climate change reports are influencing their vehicle purchasing and selling decisions. For those of you that are considering or have already changed please be sure to update your Easytrip account to avoid any unnecessary toll charges. A fine may occur if a tag is left in a vehicle that is sold or if new vehicle details have not been updated on the account.
Colin Delaney CEO of Easytrip said: “January continues to be a popular month for car sales and while our research shows motorists hesitancy with the move to electric vehicles, we do know that EV sales are up 81.3%** in 2022 compared to 2021 from the latest SIMI statistics. The perceived barriers and benefits of EVs and motoring’s impact on the environment is an important discussion as new legislation and local commitments are introduced, so it’s important for anyone buying to do their research. Motorists that drive an EV are eligible for discounts of up to 75% on toll roads as part of the low emissions vehicle toll incentive.”
