An increasing number of motorists are warming to the notion of green cars, according to a study by the RAC which examined the attitudes of UK drivers towards electric and hybrid vehicles.
Almost 50% of those questioned said they would consider driving an alternative vehicle, with some 25% suggesting they were likely to buy a greener car at some point in the next 5 years.
The trend towards green cars coincides with improvements in the technology that could, for the first time, pose a viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. With the technology becoming increasingly more accessible, some are now forecasting the coming years as a crucial period for the developing electric car market.
However, some motorists expressed persisting concerns about the affordability of fully and partially electric options. The perceived lack of charging points proved a further concern while batteries remain relatively small, with as many as a quarter of motorists saying they would wait until technologies improved before switching.
Electric and alternatively powered vehicles have a lower emissions profile than traditional gasoline and diesel-powered cars. While the cost of buying green vehicles remains comparatively more expensive, charging an electric car is still significantly cheaper than refilling at the pump.
With electric charging stations showing a sharp increase in the UK and at home, the green motoring revolution looks ready to soar. Well-targeted state subsidies have helped encourage development on the technology side, while the increasing accessibility of electric motoring seems to be making an impression on drivers themselves.
The findings will be welcomed by environmentalists, many of whom feel a switch to electric and alternative fuel vehicles could have a strong impact on climate change.
However, others point to the increased carbon footprint of electric cars while manufacturing remains on such a comparatively small scale. With the costs of charging points averaging around $10,000, the technology is still heavily reliant on government subsidies.
Despite the remaining barriers to mainstream electric usage, the findings of the study have been seen as an encouraging development for what many forecast as a major growth industry for the decades to come.
Daniel Yergin, author of several notable books on energy, said that while there were still challenges impeding the technology, the future of electric cars would help tackle broader climate change issues.
“Protecting the environment means a necessary shift away from the old fuels and levels of emissions that were thought acceptable. While green cars are a long way off totally replacing traditional vehicles, the trend towards electric remains a positive development for the industry and for the planet.”
Electric cars save on both the environmental and cost angles of driving a gasoline-fuelled car, prompting many motorists to consider making the switch. However, electric cars are often more expensive, require access to a rare, expensive charging point and still have only a short battery life which proves limiting to their range.
While the current generation of electric models are the best ever, analysts are forecasting that it might take a few more years yet for the technology to offer a comparable experience.
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