EV drivers seven times more likely to have solar panels
A recent annual survey of over 4,000 electric vehicle (EV) drivers in the UK by Zap-Map, the country's primary EV charging app, found that 29% of respondents had installed solar panels at home, which is seven times higher than the national average of 4.1%. The survey also revealed that over 10% of EV drivers have a home battery to store electricity. The high number of EV drivers with solar panels indicates that nearly one-third of them can charge their vehicles using solar power for free, despite the recent hike in electricity prices by energy suppliers and public EV charge point operators.
In addition, EV drivers are 20% more likely than the national average to have a smart meter, with 72% of respondents embracing this technology for flexible tariffs and keeping a close eye on their energy usage and what they share back to the grid. Furthermore, EV drivers are seven times more likely than an average household to have a heat pump to heat their homes with electricity via a ground or air source, with around 7% using this technology compared to only 1% of all UK households.
Up-front costs remain a barrier
However, the main obstacle for many homeowners to adopt clean tech is the upfront cost, according to a corresponding study by Good Energy that surveyed all UK households. Installation cost was cited as the primary barrier for heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage by 64%, 54%, and 42% of respondents, respectively. Good Energy, which is a major investor and partner of Zap-Map, aims to address this issue by offering low-cost financing and bundling with its 100% renewable electricity tariffs.
Melanie Shufflebotham, COO and Co-founder of Zap-Map said: “A gateway to clean energy is a great way of thinking about EVs. As soon as you change the energy you use to fuel your vehicle you start thinking about the energy you use elsewhere in your life. Then you realise you can reduce your running costs with solar panels too. That said the up-front costs of the tech does highlight once again the gap between wealthier homeowners with off-street parking and those without a driveway or are just not as well off. Which is why we need more affordable on-street or local charging options.”