March 27th, 2024, Bhavika Bansal
With a view to decrease the environmental impact of the nation's transportation sector and arrive at net-zero, the British government is set to ban the sale of new liquid petroleum gas, petrol and diesel cars, as well as hybrid vehicles by 2035. This goal indicates that the development of electric and hybrid vehicles will become increasingly important in the next decades
But which brands are currently in the top position? Insights from YouGov Profiles further sheds lights on and compares the viewpoints of Britons who would consider an EV when buying a new or second-hand car with those of the overall population in Great Britain.
Though Tesla emerges as a clear leader, it tends to resonate more strongly with EV considerers (43%) than with the general population (26%). Underscoring its recognition as a pioneer in EV technology, Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla chief designer, recently announced the brand’s work on garage-installed wireless charging pads. In a bid to further reduce production costs, the automaker is also working on a new innovation that would allow it to die cast nearly the entire underbody of an EV in one piece.
In other news, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced earlier this year that the company is set to begin production on it's next-gen EV by 2025 with the aim to compete with cheaper gas-powered cars and other inexpensive EVs.
BMW, long known for its luxury cars, comes in second. EV considerers in Great Britain appear to recognize BMW’s innovations, with 29% saying they consider it a leader in technology. And while this figure drops to 20% among all adults, BMW still ranks second among all other car brands. In September 2023, the carmaker announced its plans to take the Mini all-electric by 2030, by investing 600 million GBP in its UK manufacturing plants. By 2026, the carmaker aims to produce the all-electric Mini Cooper 3-door and the compact crossover Mini Aceman.
Sharing the second spot with BMW, German auto giant Audi is seen as a leader in innovation and tech among 29% of EV considerers and 19% of all Britons. Set to launch a slew of new EVs in 2024, including the highly anticipated Q6 e-tron and the A6 e-tron, the automaker recently announced its commitment to go all electric by 2033.
In fourth place, more than a fifth of EV considerers in Great Britain (22%) recognise Mercedes-Benz as a tech leader compared to just 14% of all Britons.
Toyota rounds out the list of top 5 leaders in innovation and technology in the eyes of EV considerers at 20% and all Britons at 13%. Despite being long recognised for its commitment to innovation and tech, some critics say Toyota has been lagging behind in its switch to EVs. However, the brand recently offered a glimpse into its plans for electrification as it prepares to launch six battery electric cars in Europe by 2026.
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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for Great Britons is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.