The AA UK’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Index has jumped up five points with used EV searches up 78% as consumers shift buying habits.
Volatile prices at the pumps, caused by the Iran conflict, has caused driver attitudes to change from ‘range anxiety’ on EVs to concern about ‘pump anxiety’.
The Q2 2026 Index, The AA’s fourth quarterly assessment of the UK’s readiness for EV adoption, shows that disruption to global energy markets has pushed fuel prices higher while EV charging costs have remained stable.
As a result, drivers able to charge at home are seeing substantial savings compared with petrol and diesel car owners.
It follows the Index exceeding 50 points for the first time in March, climbing to 58.8 in the second quarter from 53.8 in the first quarter of the year.
The uplift was driven largely by the widening cost gap between petrol and home charging, as petrol prices reached 159.6p per litre at the end of May, almost 20% higher than in the previous quarter’s Index.
For EV drivers charging at home, the Index found that running costs were 67% cheaper per mile than petrol equivalents, compared with 57% cheaper in Q1 – a saving of at least £20 for every 200 miles driven.
The cost pressure at the pump appears to be feeding directly into used EV demand too, with searches for “used EVs” on AA Cars increased by 78% between March and May, compared with the previous three months.
But it also found barriers to EV adoption remain, with new EVs still remaining expensive compared to some petrol equivalents, while used EVs moved from being 10% cheaper than petrol equivalents in Q1 to 3% more expensive in Q2 due to rising demand.
Public charging remains another major challenge with it being 15% more expensive per mile than petrol, compared with 35% more expensive in Q1.
The AA says the current fuel price shock may give EV demand a short-term boost, but some of the gains in the Readiness Rating could ease if global energy disruption subsides. But the experience of volatile pump prices is likely to influence longer-term buying habits, particularly among used car buyers seeking more predictable running costs.
On the rumoured changes to the ZEV Mandate, The AA said it has always described it as ‘challenging but ambitious’ and stresses that both consumers and industry need certainty.
Edmund King, AA president, said:
“For years, some drivers have been put off EVs by real or perceived range anxiety. But this latest Index suggests the bigger concern for many households is becoming pump anxiety. When global fuel prices rise sharply, drivers feel it immediately at the forecourt.
“Not every driver is yet ready to switch tomorrow. Upfront costs, public charging prices, and policy uncertainty still matter. But the economics of EV ownership are becoming harder to ignore particularly for those who can charge at home.”
“The used EV market is becoming a critical part of the transition. Drivers are not only looking at new technology; they are looking for value, familiarity and lower running costs.
“But the benefits are still uneven. Drivers without driveways or access to cheaper overnight tariffs are not getting the same savings. Unless public charging becomes more affordable and accessible, the EV transition risks becoming a two-speed market.
“Government has helped with the electric car grants and some manufacturers, such as Renault and Hyundai, have changed production to attract higher grants. However, fears about the proposed e-VED pay per mile from 2028 are still putting off some drivers.”
Graphic courtesy of The AA
