Older drivers have refused to bow to pressure over the impending petrol and diesel ban. Older drivers have said they are vowing to never buy an electric car over the belief “they aren’t needed to combat climate change”.
Elderly drivers are more hesitant to invest in electric vehicles, they have said. As many as one in four older Britons surveyed over the age of 55 said they would not be switching to an electric car as they “don’t believe in climate change”.
One expert suggested that people saw electric vehicles as a “fad” and believed they were a “fleeting trend”. And over half disagree with the decision to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, in a blow to net-zero prospects.
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A spokesperson from CarMats.co.uk said: “In the survey, major pushbacks to electric cars include range anxiety, the high cost of buying one, and the belief that they aren’t needed to combat climate change. Older Brits may not prioritise climate change due to a generational gap in awareness and varying personal experiences of having used petrol cars longer than younger Brits.”
But one in six millenials believe polluting petrol cars should be banned immediately, compared to one in 10 for all age groups. It comes as there are 1.1 million electric cars and vehicles on UK roads ahead of the proposed 2035 fuel ban.
It comes as the boss of one of the most popular car brands has admitted that it will be difficult to meet electric vehicle targets as waning consumer interest impacts sales. Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault, spoke of the need for “flexibility in the schedule” when looking ahead to banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and moving solely to an electric future.
He said: “The truth is we are not yet on the right trajectory to achieve 100 per cent electric cars by 2035. That’s the truth. If customers don’t follow us, we’re all responsible. We need to cut costs”
