The rising cost of living and high prices are deterring buyers from purchasing an EV.

When asked whether the current economic climate is impacting their vehicle purchase, 43.3% of the 1009 respondents in a recent survey said it is impacting them negatively. They reported having to either spend less, choose a different make or model or delay their purchase. Only 4.1% described a positive impact.

82.2% of respondents said they would not be buying an electric car. 21.6% had considered one before ruling it out. Of those buyers, 55.2% said their decision was price based, while 33.3% cited the vehicles not offering a long enough range and 29.7% blamed poor access to home or work charging.

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said: “Electric cars continue to command a significant price premium over their petrol and diesel counterparts. Our Target Price data reveals a new petrol car costs on average £43,694 compared with £61,517 for a new EV.

“With the cost of living on the rise, it’s no surprise to see a declining share of buyers consider an electric vehicle as their next car. However, the good news is that manufacturers are now starting to offer some great EV discounts to help buyers.”