Free home chargers ‘biggest boost’ for used EV market, dealers say

Free home charging points would provide the biggest boost to used electric vehicle (EV) sales, according to February’s Startline Used Car Tracker, as dealers call for more practical government support to stimulate demand in the growing second-hand EV market.

Six in 10 used car dealers (60%) said funding for free or low-cost home chargers would be the most effective measure to encourage consumers to switch to electric when buying used. With increasing volumes of electric vehicles entering the used market, retailers say affordability and ease of charging remain the main barriers to wider adoption.

Alongside charger support, 52% of dealers backed low or zero interest loans to make electric cars more accessible, while half (50%) supported grants to reduce the purchase price. The research also found strong backing for wider charging infrastructure, with 52% supporting schemes to help drivers who do not have space to install a home charger.

Energy costs were another concern for retailers. More than four in 10 dealers (42%) said subsidies on electricity to keep home charging costs low would help stimulate demand. Other measures supported included underwriting residual values to make PCP and personal leasing more affordable (26%) and removing the planned pence-per-mile eVED road tax for electric vehicles due to be introduced in 2028 (23%).

“With larger volumes of electric stock appearing on the market every day, there have been persistent demands from the motor trade for help from the government to support used electric car sales and we wanted to build a more detailed picture of which measures retailers thought would be effective,” he said.

“The top answer is a free charger and, at a typical cost of around £700 to £1,500, this could prove to be a cost-effective solution. Some targeted help is already available for charger fitting, but it is quite specific and not as generous. Plus, it doesn’t have the simple appeal of knowing the government will supply your charger for nothing.”

The Tracker also explored what level of grant would persuade buyers to choose a £15,000 used electric car over petrol, diesel or hybrid alternatives. The most popular figure was £1,500, cited by 39% of dealers, while 26% felt £2,000 would be necessary.

Paul Burgess added: “This is a fairly typical price point for a used electric car at the moment and from a policy point of view, the important finding is perhaps the cost of an effective subsidy is higher than that of fitting a charger. Overall, government resources might be better directed towards free chargers than discounting the price of the car.

“Overall, the picture that emerges is that dealers simply want help to make buying an electric car more financially attractive and charging it easier and lower cost.”

The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly by APD Global Research and, in February, surveyed 301 consumers and 62 dealers. Launched in April 2022, the Tracker monitors attitudes across the used car market, including buyer intent, fuel preferences and the challenges facing retailers as the transition to electric accelerates.