North West top of the league for electric vehicle demand growth
●North West tops growth table for new electric vehicle demand as well as high-powered charge points
● Warrington, Runcorn and Chorley postcodes top list of areas with highest growth in electric car demand since 2021
● But EV share of new car market continues to sit stubbornly under the mandated 22% needed by end of 2024 under Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate.
London, 19th August 2024: The North West has seen the most growth in new electric vehicle (EV) interest since 2021, as demand for greener cars spreads decisively beyond London and the South, according to latest data from Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive platform.
Top 10 – Growth in new electric car interest
The middle classes are also being increasingly won over by electric vehicles with eight of the top ten postcodes dominated by the C1 social grouping of clerical and professional occupations - compared with just two from the higher B grade classification. With new electric vehicles often being over a third more expensive than their petrol or diesel counterparts, it’s encouraging to see demand spread out from the top two social grade groups. For example, in 2019 nine in ten of the EV hotspots were in London. This growth correlates with a strong growth in charge points, according to data from Zapmap, the UK’s leading charge point mapping service.
The North West also topped the list for regional growth of 50kW+ high-powered charge points, with a 73% year-on-year increase. This was closely followed by the South West with 71% and East of England with 64% year-on-year growth respectively. In the North West the growth meant an additional 543 devices available for EV drivers, as a result of both the rollout of chargers from North West centred network Be.EV and also the general increase in installations from the major networks at a range of locations from motorway service areas, to dedicated charging hubs, restaurants and supermarkets.
Individual postcode districts in the list have also seen significant growth in charge point numbers. According to Zapmap data Syston (LE7) and Warrington, (WA3) - 9th and 10th in the demand growth list - jump from zero high powered 50kW+ charge points in 2021 to 10 and 14 respectively in 2024. Other highpoints include Salford (M28) and Teesside (TS17) - 4th and 5th - which have seen high powered 50kW+ charge points double since 2021 and Solihull (B90) - 7th - which has jumped from five to 19 high powered 50kW+ charge points.
Research from Auto Trader shows 37% of consumers have reservations about the lack of public charging infrastructure in the UK , underlining the importance of the issue in unlocking mass electric adoption. Further data from Zapmap shows that at the end of July 2024, the UK had enjoyed a 46% year-on-year growth in the number of public charging devices.
But pricing remains the biggest barrier to electrification. Average new car prices have jumped up nearly a quarter (24%) since 2021, but the electric segment has seen an even bigger increase (35%), growing from £35,226 to £50,175 in 2024. New EVs remain the more expensive option despite discounts of almost 11% on average. However, the 3-5 age cohort in particular is offering some more affordable options as prices come down, and price parity is achieved, making EVs more affordable for a broader cross section of society.
Ian Plummer, Commercial Director at Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace commented: “While London and the south drove initial take-up, the growth in electric interest in the North West is fantastic to see.
“Whilst we know price is a big barrier, confidence in being able to charge up whenever and wherever you need is also key to consumer adoption and this data shows that the amazing work being done by the charging industry is really paying off.
“However, more hard work will be required by the industry if EVs are to account for 22% of new car sales by the end of the year, as required by the ZEV Mandate. The discounts on offer from manufacturers to tempt new car buyers are working to generate more interest as we’ve seen a 20% rise in new car advert views on our platform in July.”
While London and the south drove initial take-up, the growth in electric interest in the North West is fantastic to see.
"While London and the south drove initial take-up, the growth in electric interest in the North West is fantastic to see. “Whilst we know price is a big barrier, confidence in being able to charge up whenever and wherever you need is also key to consumer adoption and this data shows that the amazing work being done by the charging industry is really paying off. “However, more hard work will be required by the industry if EVs are to account for 22% of new car sales by the end of the year, as required by the ZEV Mandate. The discounts on offer from manufacturers to tempt new car buyers are working to generate more interest as we’ve seen a 20% rise in new car advert views on our platform in July.”
Ian Plummer, Commercial Director at Auto Trader
"I'm really encouraged by this data from Auto Trader. The figures show a clear increase in demand for electric cars in the North West of England, an area where we've also seen significant growth in the public charging network over recent years. "We know that the number of high-powered chargers in the North West rose by 73% between June 2023 and June 2024. So, it's great to see such strong demand for electric vehicles aligning with increased charge point provision. This is clearly providing green-minded drivers with the confidence they need to make the switch to an electric car. "What's more, as our annual survey of 4,000+ electric car drivers tells us, nine out of 10 people never look back once they've made the switch to an EV. It's not just the future that's electric - it's right here and now!"
Jade Edwards, Head of Insights at Zapmap
What else has changed since 2021?
June 2021: share of new electric advert views
Volkwagen ID.3 (11%)
Skoda Enyaq (7.7%)
Audi Q4 e-tron (6.5%)
June 2024: share of new electric advert views
Hyundai IONIQ 5 (5.5%)
Tesla Model 3 (4.4%)
Kia EV9 (3.9%)
Pricing
June 2021 – New electric car RRP: £35,226 (all market: £33,700)
June 2024 – New electric car RRP: £50,175 (all market: £42,745)
References
Auto Trader and Zapmap data July 2024
Auto Trader data, growth in electric share of new car interest in the postcode district between 2021 and 2024. Social grade shown is largest group in the postcode district.
Zapmap data August 2024
Zapmap data August 2024
Auto Trader consumer research. Apr-24. N=2,000
Zapmap data August 2024
Auto Trader internal data. June 2024.
Auto Trader pricing data August 2024.
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