I bought an electric car but wish I didn’t – here’s what all Brits need to know before making the switch

ELECTRIC car drivers have said they wish they never bought one - while also revealing what they would've liked to know before making the switch.

Hundreds of thousands of Brits have already made the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) of some type, as the county starts to move away from traditional petrol and diesel engines.

From 2030 no new petrol or diesel cars will be sold in the UK.

Now it has emerged that 91 per cent of EV owners wish they had known more about important  aspects of the cars before they made the switch.

The key areas of confusion surround areas such as how far the car would run before it needed a charge, what to do if you run out power in the middle of the road and what chargers who can use.

Other things they didn’t know were how fast they can go, whether they are a good family car – and even how to start it.

But eight in 10 were initially put off a battery-powered car because they thought it couldn’t do long journeys.

Although, after driving one, 76 per cent believe EVs are the future – and 43 per cent think they will replace petrol or diesel motors by 2030.

Car-sharing firm Zipcar UK, commissioned the research to mark hitting 1,000 electric vehicles in its fleet - a key milestone in its vision to be fully electric by 2025.

James Taylor, general manager at the brand, said: “Electric cars are fun to drive, but as with anything new they can take some getting used to.

“That being said, this research shows that the public are keen to try and find out more about electric cars, and our numbers back this up too, with over 130,000 members having driven one of our EVs.

“There are a lot of myths about running out of battery too early, taking too long to charge up and how fast they can go, but it’s reassuring to see people who drive them love them and see them being a big part of the future.”

The research also found those surveyed know an average of four others who drive an electric vehicle – with eight in 10 of those having a positive experience.

And 76 per cent believe making the switch from a combustion engine is one of the best ways you can help the environment. But 73 per cent feel they are too expensive to buy outright.

In a separate poll of 2,000 people who have never driven an EV, half would feel confident driving one, even though they haven’t before.

While 48 per cent of those who don't feel confident would love the chance to trial one.

TV personality, Sam Thompson who recently trialled one of Zipcar UK’s EVs for the first time, said: "Driving an electric car is something I’ve been wanting to try for a while, but I was quite apprehensive about it.

"So having the opportunity to trial one through Zipcar was a great way to give it a go.

“While it took a minute to get used to the silence of the electric engine and the power behind the wheel, I loved how smooth it felt on the road and I couldn’t help but get excited by it all - I felt like a kid again."

The research also found 38 per cent want more information about the range they can travel, and 49 per cent want to get used to driving a battery-powered car because they are the future.

But 44 per cent don’t believe the battery lasts as long as they like, according to the figures by OnePol.