More than 8mn people in Britain are considering buying or leasing an electric vehicle (EV) in the next five
years, according to a survey by Populus on behalf of Smart Energy GB and Leeds University. Published on
Tuesday 29 May, the research also found that smart meters could play a role in encouraging EV uptake. A
third of drivers surveyed said they would be more likely to purchase an EV if they could automatically charge
it at home when energy is cheapest through use of a smart meter. Researcher at the University of Leeds, Dr
Stephen Hall said: “[Smart meters] pave the way for new energy tariffs which will reward drivers for charging
off-peak with cheaper power. They can also enable EV owners to be even more environmentally friendly, by
matching charging with the greenest electricity on the system.”
