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Ford’s new Go Electric roadshow will answer a range of questions on how drivers can make the switch to new technology and address common themes such as range anxiety and charging issues. The roadshow will be heading to a range of cities across the UK in a major education scheme to help boost interest among motorists.
Ford has said it was time that manufacturers help “kick-start” the electrification challenge to meet ambitious targets.
The manufacturer has also called for a new Minister for Electrification to be employed by the government to work with delivering the UK’s vehicle switchover.
A survey conducted by Ford has revealed a lack of consumer appeal with almost half of British motorists admitting they do not intend to buy a model in the future.
A further 21 percent say they are unlikely to purchase a model within the next five years.
Concerns among road users are wide-ranging but are similar to responses seen in recent SMMT and AA reports.
Ford’s poll revealed that 37 percent of road users were concerned with range anxiety which is a fear that vehicles may run out of charge on a journey.
A total of 53 percent for road users also said a lack of affordability was a critical issue with the majority of models valued at above £30,000.
Concerns over charging infrastructure were also cited as a critical deterrent with 51 percent raising fears the UK was not ready for the switch.
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However, Ford says much of this is down to “widespread confusion” around the technology with just two-thirds of those surveyed identifying that an electric car has one or motors.
Three-quarters of road users said they were not confident enough to explain the difference between hybrid and battery electric cars.
Meanwhile, almost half said they didn’t know enough about the technology to consider a change.
Ford’s Go Electric scheme aims to change some of these stigmas, with the clip above an example of the education set to be provided to prospective buyers.
The video describes the difference between fully-electric models and plug-in hybrid cars as well as a detailed look at how far some models can travel.
A full explanation is also given to the different ways road users can charge their vehicles including a look at the new rapid chargers available for some models.
Andy Barratt, Managing director at Ford of Britain has admitted that encouraging motorists to switch to electric cars will be a “huge task”.
He said: “While the move to electrification is gathering pace, there’s no mistaking that this is a huge task ahead of us that will require fundamental efforts to ensure consumers are taken on the journey, and the first step is understanding what their options are.
“Our roadshow will help demystify electrified vehicle options for all of our customers and give them all they need to make the right choice to fit their lives.”
Beyond this, a range of stakeholders – including national and local government, energy providers and vehicle manufacturers – need to come together with a unified goal if we are to meet the electrification challenge.
“Given the size and scale of what we want to achieve in the UK, we need to kick-start this process.”
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