12 September 2024
Driver profiles, charging habits, motivations for going electric, pricing and payment methods: at IECharge®, we wanted to find out more about the habits and expectations of electric vehicle (EV) drivers. By analyzing various publications, we offer you a portrait of these adepts of sustainable mobility, for whom electric vehicles mean new uses and sustainability.
We often talk about EV drivers, but who are we talking about? In a recent publication, the French public institution Cerema has defined the profile of EV drivers. With an average age of 48, EV drivers are predominantly male (54%). The vast majority of them (78%) are professionally active, including 44% who belong to the highest socio-professional category (CSP+). Three-quarters of EV drivers live in single-family homes, preferably in large urban centers or small towns.
Since switching to electric vehicles, these drivers have adopted new habits, especially when it comes to charging their vehicles. In a recent study, the Ipsos Institute found that 50% of electric car buyers in France now drive exclusively with their EV. 63% of them charge mainly at home, while 20% use the chargers available at work. In terms of frequency of use of public charging stations, the majority of EV drivers say they use these facilities “sometimes” or “rarely,” especially for long trips. For 91% of those surveyed, it is important, if not essential, to increase the number of public charging stations in order to provide a complete network of charging facilities throughout the country. A mission shared by IECharge®, which is developing its high-power charging stations throughout France, particularly in rural and suburban areas.
The same Ipsos survey highlights the reasons for buying an electric car. The first argument is the desire to save money, which convinced 33% of respondents to switch to electric mobility. This position is confirmed by 72% of electric car enthusiasts, who now believe that the total cost of an electric vehicle (including recharging, maintenance, etc.) is lower than that of a combustion-powered vehicle. Environmental protection is the second most important reason for going electric, cited by nearly one-third of respondents.
Ipsos also analyzed the pricing of electric charging and the payment options offered to customers. There was a clear preference among respondents to pay by the kWh (65%) rather than a hybrid of time and kWh or time only. The preferred payment method for EV drivers is the credit card (53%), followed by the electric mobility service card (35%). IECharge® offers three payment methods: the bank card, the IECharge® application and the electric mobility service card. The perfect way to meet consumer expectations!