Lower-income households are struggling to afford to make the switch to electric vehicles, according to the latest No Driver Left Behind 2026 Report from Autotrader.
It found that households earning below £40,000 remain “significantly less likely” to consider an EV than higher-income households.
Almost half (48%) of households earning under £40,000 would consider an EV for their next car, compared with 73% of all households above £40,000, which rises to 84% for households earning above £80,000.
The report showed that 70% of lower income households have a driveway, suggesting off-street parking is not the clear-cut indicator of electric consideration, or likelihood to buy.
Ian Plummer, Autotrader chief customer officer, said: “If lower income households can’t access affordable vehicles, we risk creating a two-tier system where the benefits of cleaner, cheaper motoring accrue to those already better off.
“The path forward is clear: more choice at lower price points, greater transparency on battery health metrics, and practical charging solutions for people without driveways. Do that, and we unlock EVs for everyone – not just the few.”
