Kirsty Pendleton, head of B2B product and marketing at The AA, explains why Global Women in EV Day is about more than representation – and why inclusion is now a commercial necessity for the EV transition
The UK’s electric vehicle transition has reached a pivotal stage. Awareness is rising, model choice is expanding and fleet electrification strategies are accelerating. But as we move from early adopters to the mainstream market, a more fundamental question emerges:
Do EVs truly work for everyone?
If the answer is no, the transition will stall.
That is why the launch of Global Women in EV Day on 10 February 2026 matters. It is not simply about visibility or symbolic representation. It is about recognising a structural gap that risks slowing progress at precisely the moment scale is required.
Women make up 49 per cent of UK driving licence holders, yet only around a third of EV drivers are female – compared to near parity in internal combustion engine ownership. That disparity should prompt reflection across the automotive, charging, energy and mobility sectors.
Because when half the driving population is underrepresented in adoption, it is not a niche issue. It is a market issue.
Designing the transition for real-world drivers
The EV gender gap does not exist in isolation. It reflects how products, infrastructure and messaging have evolved – and, in some cases, who they have evolved around.
From the location and lighting of charging infrastructure, to app usability, to how affordability is communicated, the real-world experience of EV ownership shapes confidence. Safety perceptions, practical convenience and visible representation in marketing all influence decision-making. If the transition unintentionally centres around one type of driver, barriers are created for others – particularly at the mainstream adoption stage where reassurance matters as much as innovation. Inclusion, therefore, is not a social add-on to the EV transition. It is central to commercial success.
The workforce shaping the future
The gap is not limited to ownership. It is also evident in the industries building and supporting electrification.
EngineeringUK reports that women represent just 15.7 per cent of the UK engineering and technology workforce. Yet the wider EV and battery manufacturing ecosystem is projected to support approximately 100,000 new full-time equivalent jobs by 2040.
The transition presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape not only how vehicles are powered, but who powers the industry behind them.
If the sectors responsible for infrastructure, vehicle development, roadside support and fleet services do not reflect the diversity of the drivers they serve, blind spots will persist. Broader participation strengthens problem-solving, innovation and customer understanding – all essential for scaling EV adoption.
Commercial fleets at a tipping point
Nowhere is this more evident than in the commercial sector.
Fleet operators are balancing sustainability targets, operational efficiency, driver wellbeing and cost pressures – all while navigating new technologies and regulatory shifts. The decisions made today will determine whether commercial driving evolves into a skilled, future-facing profession or becomes harder to sustain.
The commercial driver role is changing rapidly. It is no longer simply about vehicle operation. It is about navigating connected systems, understanding telematics, optimising efficiency and integrating sustainability into day-to-day decisions.
That future demands a broader, more inclusive talent pipeline.
At The AA, we do not see technology replacing drivers. We see technology equipping them. When drivers are given the right training, tools and support, they can confidently integrate EV technology into safer, more efficient driving styles – rather than feeling overwhelmed by change.
For fleets, this is not theoretical. Confidence gaps translate directly into utilisation rates, downtime and operational risk. Supporting all drivers through the transition – regardless of gender or background – is both a people strategy and a performance strategy.
Inclusion as a competitive advantage
The next phase of electrification will not be won on battery range alone. It will be shaped by trust, usability and confidence.
Organisations that consider infrastructure design, driver training, workforce diversity and real-world user experience as part of their EV strategy will move faster and more sustainably than those that treat electrification purely as a compliance exercise.
Global Women in EV Day is a reminder that the transition must be intentionally inclusive. Markets do not automatically correct structural imbalances – leadership does.
For over 120 years, The AA has supported Britain’s drivers through change. Today, that means helping fleets and businesses navigate electrification with clarity, practical insight and driver-first thinking.
The EV transition will only succeed if it works for everyone. Designing it that way is not just the right thing to do – it is the smart thing to do.
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