ABM_1 - Flipbook - Page 6
ROUND-TABLE
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
The art of
T
he electric vehicle
(EV) share of new
car registrations is
rising against the
backdrop of net
zero ambitions,
product innovation
and increased customer
interest, and the UK’s EV story
is shifting. The narrative must
reflect this change – from specsheet noise to lived benefits,
national totals to local relevance,
and tangible reassurances for
those not in the vanguard, but
willing to be convinced.
Automotive Business Magazine
brought a group of crossindustry experts together –
chaired by Adrian Simpson – to
discuss how to reach the next
wave of fleet and consumer
customers, mythbusting for
the modern age, and why
this is about more than just
sustainability.
Heritage versus
innovation
New entrants can win with
tech credibility, but heritage
and reputation build the
confidence needed to
convert the next wave.
Brands like BYD are leaning
into messaging around tech
pedigrees to get past the
newcomer perceptions, but the
panel agrees that heritage cues
will still build confidence among
the next wave of EV adopters,
both consumer and business.
Phil Wilbraham, managing
director at Pendragon Vehicle
6
AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS Q4 2025
An expert industry round-table discusses
the mythbusting and messaging needed to
boost the next stage of EV take-up
Management, says: “People
are willing to try new things
– that might be because the
price point's really good – but
there still needs to be a bit of
heritage and storytelling about
the history.
“We’ve seen that happen
really successfully when the new
Renault 5 came out. Something
like 84% of customers that
bought it hadn't had a Renault
before. So that storytelling and
heritage actually brought people
into the brand.
“At BYD, they called themselves
an ‘established startup’ because
they had the backing of the rest
of the business. The perception
in the UK was that they were a
startup, but they've been around
for 30-plus years, and in that
case, the tech story was the one
that they leant into."
Debbie Staveley, CEO
and founder of bClear
Communications, notes that this
heritage and brand story can
also help lay the groundwork
for potential pitfalls in a market
that is still finding its feet.
She explains: “A good
reputation is a bit like credit
in the bank. If things go
wrong, you're more likely to be
forgiven if you've got a positive
reputation. We’ve seen this
with recent cyber-attacks, for
