Revving up for electric

Britain has pledged £500 million towards EV (electric vehicle) charging hubs, but are we prepared for this bright new dawn?

The EV revolution is here, so we wanted to find out how familiar people are with the signs, symbols and rules that define the electric experience. In our exclusive poll of more than 1,200 UK drivers, we discovered:

• A majority (57%) of drivers told us they’re unfamiliar with dashboard and roadside symbols for electric vehicles.
• Just 37% of drivers could correctly identify the ‘eco mode’ dashboard symbol, while 18% could identify ‘electrical fault’.
• People aged over 55 are the most likely to correctly identify what the ULEZ symbol means (81% of this age group).
• 74% of drivers of conventional vehicles agree that it’s important for the public to be familiar with EV signs and symbols.
• Greater London was the region where drivers claimed to have the highest level of awareness of EV dashboard and roadside symbols – 63% of drivers in the capital.

Britain knows its roads

There are nearly 35 million drivers in the UK, so the majority of Brits are more than familiar with life on four wheels. Before we look at the nation’s electric expertise, our survey found that UK drivers have top-level motoring knowledge.

75% of respondents told us they can correctly name all the road signs in the highway code, ranging from 67% in Scotland to 80% in both Northern Ireland and the North East of England.

Aside from those who claim to have nailed it (35% of the total), which features of modern motoring did drivers tell us they struggle with?

A bolt from the blue

But while UK drivers have no trouble when it comes to understanding traditional road signs and symbols, for some motorists, the emergence of electric vehicles has been a shock to the system.

A majority (57%) of drivers told us they’re unfamiliar with dashboard and roadside symbols for electric vehicles, compared to 43% who said they were familiar.

This was reflected across the UK – just two of the 12 regions we polled featured a majority of drivers with ‘EV awareness’.

Electric vehicles may be all the rage, but when it comes to the signs and symbols of the EV revolution, a knowledge gap persists. The results were telling when we showed drivers the following electric vehicle dashboard symbols.

• 37% could correctly identify eco mode
• 18% could identify the electrical fault symbol
• 9% could identity the limited power symbol.

Overall, a majority (52%) of respondents said they couldn’t identify any of these symbols.

The electric age gap

Across Britain there are now more than a million registered electric vehicles, but until a few years ago, EVs were virtually non-existent.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, we uncovered a knowledge gap between younger drivers who’ve come of age in the electric era, and their older counterparts.

Levels of EV awareness differed across the generations in other ways too.

• 70% of 25–34-year-olds said they’re familiar with PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) symbols – the highest of any age group. This compares to 23% of people aged over 55.
• 21% of 25–34-year-olds said they ‘always’ notice EV symbols or signs. This was the highest response of any age group, while the lowest awareness was among people aged 55+ (3%).
• 53% of 25–34-year-olds could correctly identify a ‘parking only for electric vehicles’ sign – the highest percentage of any age group. This compares to 45% of respondents aged over 55.

But while many younger drivers may consider themselves ‘electric experts’, when it comes to other aspects of the EV revolution, our survey painted a different picture.

The ULEZ effect

A number of UK cities, including Birmingham, Bristol and Sheffield, have introduced Clean Air Zones (CAZ). This means that drivers whose vehicles do not meet emissions standards need to pay a charge if they enter the designated zone. Perhaps the most widely reported of these schemes is London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which was first introduced in 2019 and has since expanded across the capital.

We presented respondents with the below image, which means ‘low emissions vehicles only allowed in this area’. Which age group were most aware of the ULEZ scheme?

Clean Air Zones have attracted plenty of media attention and aroused strong feelings among both supporters and detractors. But leaving aside the politics, could CAZ schemes transform the public’s awareness regarding EV rules and regulations?

A bright electric future

Some drivers may be dedicated to diesel, while others are embracing electric, but one thing’s for sure – EVs are on the charge.

By and large, UK drivers agree on the importance of getting to grips with the signs and symbols of electric driving.

Unsurprisingly, 89% (net) of EV drivers said that familiarity with EV symbols is important. But strikingly, 74% of conventional vehicle drivers agreed.

And while 35–44-year-olds were the most likely age bracket (86%) to agree that EV symbols matter, even at the less enthusiastic end, a solid majority of people aged over 55 (67%) shared the same opinion.

Finally, we all know that Britain is a land of awesome electric road trips, and our survey found that the West Midlands is the region where drivers are most likely to agree that EV familiarity is important (82% of respondents).

Are you ready for the clean, green future?

By 2030, the UK will have banned the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, so the electric future is well and truly upon us. If you’re catching the EV wave, make sure you’re ready by protecting yourself with Saga electric car insurance. You can cover more than one vehicle at a time, and our range of options – Standard, Select and Plus – covers all bases.