UK EV owners won’t return to ICE – study

Most UK motorists struggle to recognise emerging EV brands but wouldn’t go back to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, a new study shows.

Motorpoint surveyed about 2000 UK car owners and  found 87% of motorists were unable to name all EV brands based solely off their logos – despite them becoming more commonplace on UK roads. 

Existing EV owners were 170% more likely than other fuel types to recognise the logos, with Tesla (66%) being the most recognised, followed by Polestar (23%) and BYD (18%).

Nio, Rivian and Xpeng were among the least recognised.

“We’ve seen lots of investment in electric vehicles and new manufacturers entering the market – offering motorists greater choice when choosing their next car,” says Motorpoint EV expert Mike Vousden.

“While Tesla currently has a huge lead when it comes to brand-recognition, its cars are now a common sight on UK roads. I expect we’ll start to see more awareness of other emerging brands as more motorists see them on the roads,” he says.

“More EVs on the used car market means motorists benefit from more choice at a lower price point, says Vousden.

“Some really exciting EV brands have developed in China and will gradually become more readily available on the used car market.

“These brands can be a great option for motorists as they offer cutting-edge technology and lots of equipment at a very reasonable price.”

The research shows existing EV owners are more than twice as likely to consider buying a car from a brand they were unfamiliar with, and at least three times more likely to consider purchasing a car from at least one of the brands included in the study.

When exploring why this could be, Motorpoint found that EV owners were less concerned about purchasing from an established brand and more confident about buying a car from a brand that is newer to the market. 

It seems that those already used to EVs and newer driving technology tend to be more open to considering emerging EV brands, with 100% of EV owners surveyed saying their next car would be an EV, says Motorpoint.

The Leadership Factor did the survey on behalf of Motorpoint, collecting results in January 2025.

Click here for more study information.