Vehicle design has overtaken environmental concerns as the leading reason UK consumers choose electric vehicles, according to a survey of more than 1,600 Renault EV owners.
The survey, conducted by Renault UK, found that 64% of respondents cited design as the main reason for purchasing an electric Renault, while only 8% said environmental considerations were their primary motivation.
Design Drives Purchase Decisions
Among owners of the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, design proved even more influential, with 71% identifying it as the key factor behind their purchase.
Renault said the findings suggest electric vehicles are increasingly being chosen for their styling and overall appeal rather than solely for their environmental benefits.
The company’s electric lineup includes the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, Scenic E-Tech Electric and Megane E-Tech Electric, with the Twingo E-Tech Electric also planned for launch.
Lower Running Costs Surprise Owners
Affordability ranked as the second most important purchasing factor.
Among first-time EV buyers, who accounted for 69% of survey respondents, 66% said their Renault cost less to operate than they had expected, while 60% found daily ownership easier than anticipated.
Range anxiety also appeared to decline after purchase, with 92% saying they felt confident about their vehicle’s driving range during normal use.
Owners of the Scenic E-Tech Electric reported the highest confidence levels, with only 6% expressing concerns about range.
Overall, 96% of respondents said they would recommend an electric vehicle to others, while just 9% said they would consider returning to a gasoline or diesel-powered vehicle.
Public Charging Remains the Biggest Challenge
Despite high satisfaction with vehicle ownership, public charging infrastructure continues to be the main concern for drivers.
The survey found that 57% of respondents identified the cost of public charging as their biggest challenge, while 40% cited charger availability, particularly for drivers without access to home charging.
Nearly nine out of ten respondents (89%) described public charging as expensive, with some also reporting issues such as unavailable or out-of-service chargers.
Around half of participants also said media coverage of electric vehicles did not accurately reflect their own ownership experience.
“Renault’s EV sales have risen dramatically in the past 18 months, driven by a range of award-winning vehicles that deliver both head and heart appeal, encouraging customers to make the switch and making them EV advocates once they have lived with the cars,” said Adam Wood, Managing Director of Renault UK.
“The responses show that the next wave of EV adoption will be driven by making cars that people genuinely want. That’s why Renault has focused on developing cars with personality and charm, then made them accessible and affordable. They are cars bought for what they are, not simply what powers them.”
The survey received 1,646 responses from approximately 16,000 Renault EV owners and MyRenault account holders in the United Kingdom.