Learner drivers are struggling to find instructors who offer lessons in electric vehicles despite over half wanting to go EV.
That’s according to a new study by GRIDSERVE which reveals just one in seven young drivers are able to find a local instructor with an electric car to teach them how to drive.
The data reveals it’s a postcode lottery when it comes to electric car lessons, with provisional license holders in London most likely to be able to find an EV instructor (41%), followed by the West Midlands (23%).
It’s a different story in Yorkshire and the Humber and the East of England where just one in 10 could find one.
It means that in the past five years, despite record numbers of EVs on the roads, just 9% of parents saw their kids pass the test in an electric car.
Learner drivers are worried that the deficit of EV instructors is a waste of time. Nearly a third said learning to drive in a manual petrol or diesel car is pointless when most of their lives will likely be spent behind the wheel of an automatic EV, while nearly a quarter said they’d buy or lease an electric model as their first car after passing their test.
Best cars for young drivers
The all-rounder: BYD Dolphin
Value, comfort, range, technology, space…and an odd name: the BYD Dolphin has plenty going for it as an electric car for new drivers. The fact it’s very easy to drive is the icing on the cake.
The long ranger: MG4
The MG4 is an affordable EV favourite at GRIDSERVE. It’s a lot of car for the money, will prove fun to drive once the learner plates come off, and it’ll officially manage up to 323 miles on a charge in Extended Range form.
The head turner: Jeep Avenger
Jeep’s first electric car might look like a chunky SUV but the Jeep Avenger actually cute and compact. With a smart interior, decent range and good view out thanks to a raised driving position, it’s a solid first electric car.
The city slicker: Fiat 500
Size matters when you’re learning to drive in the city, and the Fiat 500 is small. It’s incredibly easy to drive and park, but it’s also a proper style icon.
The credit cruncher: GWM Ora 03
The Funky Cat is no more! Now called the Ora 03, the quirky electric car deliver a head-turning design, lots of equipment and – above all – immense value-for-money.
The efficiency expert: Volkswagen ID.3
While there’s a bigger battery Volkswagen ID.3, the smaller 58kWh version is the star of the show for efficiency. Easily managing well over four miles per kWh, it’s extremely cheap to run and also easy to drive.
The performer: MINI Cooper E
MINI’s ‘go-kart handling’ feel is alive and well, so even if you’re a new driver you’ll find enjoyment in threading the new MINI Cooper Electric through traffic. The new model also gets loads more range for the same price.
