More than half of electric car drivers visit shops that offer charging, even if they’re not actively looking to charge their car, according to new research.

A further 59 per cent of electric vehicle drivers said that they spend more money at shops that offer charging.

According to the survey from Kalibrate, which surveyed 1,433 consumers and 520 retail business stakeholders across 10 countries, nearly three in five drivers say that want more charging points at shopping venues.

But the research found that although the retail market thinks electric vehicles are a future revenue driver, more than half think the market it too unpredictable for them to make concrete plans. While a further 57 per cent find it difficult to anticipate where EV charging infrastructure would be most useful.

52 per cent said they have not even started developing their EV strategy.

“EVs are the future of transport – that’s for certain, But as more consumers turn to EVs, the challenge of creating a robust, strategic and profitable EV charging network is only going to grow.

“Big questions remain for retailers: what infrastructure do drivers need to make the switch to EVs? How are refueling habits going to change, and how have they already changed? What do the EV drivers of today look like, and what will they look like tomorrow? Clearly, retailers are battling a number of unknowns and it’s not surprising that they are unsure how to respond,” said Oliver Shaw, chief executive, Kalibrate.

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