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POLL: Would you be more likely to switch to EVs if used car prices came down?


Electric cars look set to become one of the biggest disruptors to the UK road network in decades as more motorists make the switch to cleaner vehicles.

Last year, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed a 17.8 percent increase in used BEV sales with over 300,000 making purchases.

The popularity of salary sacrifice packages and finance schemes have allowed road users to secure top-of-the-range EVs at affordable monthly payments.

However, a whopping 82 percent of UK motorists purchase their cars second hand meaning upfront used prices have to come down to get people to part with their money.

The increase in new cars on the road is expected to trickle down with discounted second-hand models and there are signs this is already taking hold.

New data from the AA Cars Used Car Index has shown prices for the top 20 most sought-after used EVs and hybrids were down 12 percent.

The average price of the most in-demand EV and hybrid cars was now £19,548, down from £22,158 last year.

Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, has previously claimed second-hand models were now beginning to drop in value.

She said: “Now we are seeing more cars coming through so the lead times have come down considerably.

“We are starting to see some second-hand cars come out now as well. They are coming off lease from a few years ago. That is starting to create a second-hand market which is exciting.”

However, recent data from AutoTrader has revealed new electric cars can lose more than half their value after just three years.

They suggest a £50,000 EV could be valued at just £24,000 36 months later in what they called “unsustainable levels of depreciation”.

But when asked what is their biggest barrier to EV transition, the high costs are usually high on motorists’ list.

Last year, a survey from Go Compare found high prices were the main reason 55.8 percent of road users were not making the move.

Does this mean lower costs could spark a dramatic surge in EV demand? Or will motorists fears around infrastructure, range anxiety and charging prove too big a barrier to break?

Express readers can have their say in the poll above and make your thoughts known in the comments below.

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