Business drivers’ attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed little in 2026, despite growing EV sales, according to the latest Europcar Electric Vehicle Barometer.

In Q3 2026, 40.59% of respondents identified purchase, maintenance and finance costs as barriers to switching to electric vehicles, only marginally down from 41.03% in Q1. Concerns about charging infrastructure also remained largely unchanged, cited by 29.13% of respondents in Q3 compared with 29.46% at the start of the year.

However, understanding of EV ownership appears to be deteriorating, with the proportion identifying this as a barrier rising from 14.9% in Q2 to 18.9% in Q3. Employee resistance also increased, from 10.77% in Q1 to 11.24% in Q3.

Tom Middleditch, Head of B2B Marketing and Sustainability spokesperson at Europcar, said businesses needed to do more to give employees first-hand experience of electric cars and vans in real working conditions.

He said: “It's sobering to see that, despite the undoubted rise in the profile of electric vehicles over this year – in advertising and on the roads – business drivers believe concerns around cost and charging infrastructure remain the major barriers for EV adoption. And it seems that a lack of EV knowledge is still hampering eco-ambitions.

"As businesses work towards meeting emissions targets, they need to give employees first-hand experience of using electric cars and vans for work, to see how and where they can fit into daily operations.”

Europcar provides a free digital EV Guide and Knowledge Hub to help drivers understand EV ownership and charging. Customers renting electric vehicles can additionally access Octopus Electroverse features, including live charger information, charging costs and route planning.