Despite EV sales rising, we as the public aren’t keen to own one, so could subscription be the answer?
Experts believe car subscriptions, where you never own the car but just pay to use it, could be a pivotal strategy to further boost uptake and reduce emissions.
David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at Birmingham Business School, says subscriptions could ease consumer hesitancy towards EVs.
He said: “Car subscription models are a great way for consumers to ‘dip their toes’ into the EV market. Drivers are sometimes hesitant about adopting this new technology due to high upfront costs and fears about range and charging and uncertainty regarding resale value.
“Subscription allows consumers to see if EVs fit their lifestyles and whether they are cost-effective for them. Car subscriptions don’t tie people down for long periods, so they can enable consumers to try EVs while minimising risk.”
One provider of such as service is Denmark’s :Dribe, which offers users the chance to subscribe to a car and change it as needed, if circumstances change.
CEO Jesper Hill-Kjærsgaard said: “When the customer has the flexibility to choose, we see a greater variety in the car models that are picked. When longer drives or infrastructural uncertainty occurs, we often see people switching back to conventional fossil-fuel cars.
“However, our experience is, that once becoming accustomed to the many joys of EVs, people tend to stay with the technology.”
