The next generation of UK drivers aren't buying gas, as 80% of Gen Z are planning an EV purchase by 2030

The next generation of UK drivers is reportedly shunning gas cars, as a report indicates that 80 percent of Gen Z are planning an EV purchase by 2030.

It seems like everywhere you look, people are making the switch to electric cars.

And if stats from the UK are anything to go by, it’s the youngest drivers who are leading the charge.

But is this a trend we can expect to see replicated in other countries, including the US?

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A majority of Gen Z in the UK are planning an EV purchase by 2030

This data comes from a survey carried out by car finance company Zuto, in which 750 participants were polled about their car plans over the next five years.

It found that 79.8 percent of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) in the UK were planning to buy an EV by 2030.

But the EV advocates might want to hold the celebrations just yet, as this generation appears to be an anomaly.

For Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996), the comparative figure was 35.6 percent.

And it only got worse from there, as only 15.4 percent of Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) and 16.5 percent of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) were considering making the switch.

Even then, Gen Z were still not so sure they’d be able to get an EV, as 58.5 percent of them said not being able to charge at home would be a barrier to ownership.

For 67 percent of Gen X and Baby Boomers, cost was cited as the biggest hurdle, a concern reiterated by 46.8 percent of Millennials.

So there’s evidently quite a gap between what people are aspiring towards and what they feel they can realistically achieve.

Are EVs the new normal everywhere?

It feels like electric cars are the way of the future, but EV purchase rates can very much depend on where you live.

Norway is widely considered the most EV-friendly nation in the world, with nearly 90 percent of new car sales in 2024 being fully electric, according to Reuters.

The high rate of EVs has been credited to the Nordic country’s long-term investment in EV charging, national incentives, and sustainability targets being written into government policy.

Over in the US, each of the 50 states varies in terms of costs and infrastructure.

While California is definitely big on EV infrastructure, it also has the most expensive EV charging.

And as if that wasn’t harsh enough, it was hit the hardest by the end of EV tax credits.

On the other end of the scale, states like Mississippi, North Dakota, and Louisiana weren’t as affected – but the tax credits weren’t making much of a dent to begin with.

As with many things, the 50-state government model makes it hard to paint a clearer picture of trends in the country.

Sometimes it really is like 50 little countries living next to each other.

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