Blog of RENAULT NISSAN Alliance

As well as enjoying the ecological and economic benefits of electric vehicles, French owners appreciate the more comfortable driving experience. Furthermore, they are pleased their vehicles demand less maintenance and are therefore less costly.

These are just some of the findings reported in a comprehensive new survey by Planète Verte Mobilité, a French EV consulting and communications specialist. Asked why they had bought an electric vehicle, 72% of respondents cited ecological reasons, while 65% said they had been won over by the economic benefits. For 81% of users, their new EV replaced a previous combustion engine vehicle, while 26% said their EV replaced public transportation. Globally, the electric vehicle is therefore viewed as a greener and more efficient alternative to the combustion engine.

On average, owners said they travelled 29 kilometres a day in their EV. Considering that the average French person travels 32 km a day, the EV would therefore satisfy 90% of the average user's needs. Owners also said their vehicles needed to be recharged every two days (or 71 km), but this was not considered a constraint. Some 86% of users noted their maintenance costs had been reduced since buying an EV.

There were also some revealing findings about driving behaviour: 77% of owners reported using engine braking more than the foot brake, resulting in a smoother drive. Furthermore, 65% said they drove less aggressively since acquiring an EV, and more than half said they had chosen their EV because it was more comfortable to drive than a traditional combustion engine car.

Founded in 2006, Planète Verte Mobilité specializes in EV consulting and market intelligence services. As well as offering market analysis and reports, it helps promote awareness of EVs and also facilitates the creation of partnerships between EV manufacturers, companies and users. Visit the Planète Verte Mobilité website at www.planete-verte.fr