- GWM ORA has found that one in three† UK adult drivers are now considering an electric vehicle as their next car
- As part of the research study involving 2,000 EV intenders, 61% of respondents are now more inclined to purchase an EV as their next car compared to one year ago
- Over 79% of current EV drivers would ‘definitely’ purchase another EV in the future
- The research found that the least important factor when looking at purchasing a car is the country of origin & manufacture
21/12/23: GWM ORA, a newly launched electric vehicle brand in the UK, has undertaken an in-depth research study delving into the preferences of UK consumers in the electric vehicle (EV) market. The findings shed light on the core considerations driving purchasing decisions in this rapidly evolving sector.
Most importantly, this new research indicates that the appetite for electric vehicles is steadily growing, with 61% of respondents indicating that they are now more inclined to purchase an EV as their next car compared to one year ago. This aligns with SMMT data for November 2023 that showed a year to date uptake increase of 27.5% for Battery electric vehicles (BEV’s), with projections that market share for BEV’s in the UK will increase from 16.3% to 22.3% in 2024.
Of the people who had an opinion on concerns associated with electric vehicles, 72% of respondents thought that it would be difficult to locate a public charger. The good news is that charging infrastructure continues to grow across the UK, recently passing a major milestone with the installation of the 10,000th rapid EV ChargePoint. According to ZapMap, at the end of November 2023, there were 53,029 electric vehicle charging points in the UK, across 30,853 charging locations, which represents a 46% increase in the total number of charging devices since November 2022.
When asked about driving habits, only 19% of those surveyed said that they travelled more than 10,000 miles annually in their main car and 43% admitted that they only make a 200 mile trip ‘a few times a year’. Pure electric vehicle brand, GWM ORA, now offers 48kWh and 63kWh variants of ORA Funky Cat, offering a range of up to 193 and 260 WLTP miles respectively, which will satisfy a diverse array of mobility needs in the UK market.
When it comes to purchasing a new car, 78% of respondents agreed that ‘handling’ is one of the most important factors and 61% said they don’t always look to buy the same brand of car. This news bodes well for brands like GWM ORA, which entered the UK market in December 2022 with ORA Funky Cat, providing an exceptional blend of affordability and quality. The brands first model was recently awarded a Which? Best Buy, where it was praised for being “spritely” and having “agile and predictable” driving dynamics.
When asked specifically about electric vehicles manufactured in China, 74% of respondents were open to the idea of owning one and similarly, 75% believed that electric vehicles produced in China did not offer a compromise on quality. This positive sentiment is reflected in the uptake across Europe, according to customs data, Chinese new energy vehicle shipments to the EU jumped 112% in the first seven months of 2023 on the year and 361% from 2021.
Unsurprisingly, over 60% of those surveyed indicated that both running costs and price were two of the most important factors when considering a new vehicle purchase. GWM ORA’s first model, ORA Funky Cat First Edition, continues to offer exceptional value for money in the UK market, with business and personal leasing customers able to drive away from just £199* and £239** per month respectively. This makes ORA Funky Cat one of the best value ‘family sized’ BEV’s currently available in the UK leasing market.
With an MSRP of £33,795, ORA Funky Cat First Edition+ is GWM ORA’s second variant to go on sale in the UK, offering even more exciting technology and features. According to GWM ORA’s consumer research, 63% of respondents said they love technology in their car and only 2% strongly agree that they typically get the cheapest option available. The First Edition+ variant hosts GWM ORA’s 63kWh battery, offering 260 miles of WLTP electric range and comes equipped with features like: heated, cooled and massage front seats, heated steering-wheel, panoramic sunroof, automatic tailgate and automatic parking assistance.
ORA Funky Cat First Edition+ also shares a lot of technology with the brands first launch model, including: wireless phone charging, facial recognition, electric front seats, app integration and ‘Hello ORA’ intelligent voice assistance.