Used electric vehicle sales double in a year… but UK infrastructure is a cause for concern

Sales of used electric vehicles have doubled since this time last year… but the UK’s electric car infrastructure remains a problem.

According to current figures, almost twice as many used electric cars are sold – between July and September, 34,021 battery-only electric cars changed hands.

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According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) These numbers are the result of an expansion in supply and are favored by an easing of the semiconductor shortage.

This, in turn, has boosted new car sales and boosted the used car market.

But with demand for electric vehicles growing, SMMT boss Mike Hawes has now called on the government to support electric vehicle infrastructure.

He said: “The used car market continues to grow strongly, with reinvigorated supply unlocking demand for used electric vehicles – the result is that twice as many motorists switched to zero-emission driving this quarter.”

“To maintain this momentum, growth is required in the new car market to increase supply to the used car sector and consolidate this success.”

“Equally important is the urgent need to expand charging infrastructure so that all drivers can have confidence that they can charge anytime, anywhere.”

This is a consequence of a worrying current trend in the nationwide shortage of charging stations and the difficulty of installing them at home.

An electric vehicle owner recently told us The Telegraph that he loves his electric motor, but charging it is proving difficult.

The driver said: “As most electric car drivers know, you still can’t rely on public chargers.”

“I lost track of how many times I tried to plug in the charger while on the go and the charger didn’t work or I didn’t have the right app to use it.”

There remains an urgent need for more charging stations in a number of areas across the UK.

Latest figures from the Department for Transport and ZapMap show some of the worst regions for electric car owners – including the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall, the only part of the UK without public chargers.

Speaking to The Sun about the issues surrounding public charging infrastructure, a DfT spokesperson told us in September: “We have invested more than £2 billion to support the transition to electric vehicles and there are now more than 45,000 public chargers across the UK.”

“The number of public charging points increased by 38 percent last year – a rate that puts us on track to reach 300,000 by 2030.”

However, UK electric car drivers can now save £100 by charging at home as new, cheaper energy tariffs have been introduced.

Alex Buttle, co-founder of the used car marketplace highway.co.ukbelieves drivers are “considering the used market rather than new vehicles as a cheaper route to electric cars”, but says the government can do more to support electric car owners.

He said: “If the government can continue to support the transition to electric mobility through improved charging infrastructure and financial incentives for private car buyers and fleet users, used electric vehicle sales could increase even further.”

This comes after electric vehicle drivers were warned about unsafe charging cables sold online that can cause dangerous problems.

Meanwhile, a driver claimed he was left fearing for his life after being abused by “brainwashed” electric vehicle owners – despite having one himself.

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