ABM Q4 - Flipbook - Page 53
OPINION
RE TA I L
Communicating
with sceptics
→ Simon Jones is joint founder at Ink Copywriters
C
onverts mostly love their
EVs, but plenty of sceptics
remain. So how do you dispel
the myths and sell EVs to the
doubters? Highly targeted and
precision messaging could be
the answer. First, there are the
myths, and the realities that
can diffuse them.
Anxiety versus real life: EV range
gets better with every generation – the
average for new EVs in 2026 is 300 miles.
Safety concerns are mostly a thing of
the past. Fire incidents are very rare
and actually happen more frequently in
ICE vehicles. However, according to Cox
Automotive, 60% of non-EV drivers cite
battery lifespan as a concern, compared
with 23% of EV owners.
Cost of ownership: There’s a huge
amount of EV choice now – across a wide
range of budgets. As the technology
matures, prices are dropping. Home
charging is typically cheaper than petrol
or diesel – especially on certain tariffs.
Cox Automotive found that 71% of UK
drivers say EV incentives would influence
them to purchase, yet 53% don’t know
what’s available.
Charging access: While the charging
network got off to a slow start, it’s
growing fast – 22% since October
2024 alone. Charging concerns tend
to diminish rapidly with real-life EV
experience. Indeed, 94% of EV drivers
told Cox that the public charging access
in their area is good.
Precise messaging
While the facts in favour of EVs may be
compelling, people often tend to cling
to pre-existing beliefs. In psychology,
this is known as confirmation bias.
Consumers may hang on to the ‘noise’
that accompanied early EVs, despite the
fact the technology and infrastructure
have moved on considerably.
Confirmation bias can be a surprisingly
strong influence, so changing opinions
needs carefully honed messages that
play directly into people’s concerns. Few
relate to the concept of kilowatt-hours,
for instance. But when brands talk about
real-world range – in mileage – it’s much
more relatable.
Crafting the right messages is about
getting under the skin of the audience.
The uptake of EVs among older
generations, for instance, has been
particularly slow. This could be down to
another powerful cognitive bias – habit.
Up to 40% of our purchasing decisions
are down to what we chose before. But
the right messages, at the right time, can
be very effective in breaking habits.
Climate change is increasingly at the
forefront of people’s minds. Battery
repair, remanufacturing, recycling and
renewable energy charging all contribute
to a greener grid, long-term. And, of
course, better air quality is a given.
These are all hugely compelling selling
points. But not all consumers are won
over by logic. People are just as likely to
make decisions driven by emotion.
This brings us on to the experience of
driving an EV. Some dislike that there are
no gear changes and no exhaust note.
But those who have driven them often
rave about the immediate torque, the
refinement and the ease of driving.
One size doesn’t fit all
As with any new tech, there's a mix of
early adopters and cynics. But while
technology such as smartphones were
an obvious upgrade from the ‘bricks’ we
used to carry, EVs are more complex.
The trick is to understand the
motivations and biases of your audience
groups, and hone the messages.
The subtlety of tone will also play a
key role – communications must speak
the customer’s language, adapting to
different age groups, demographics and
even products.
The key to a compelling EV message:
know your audience.
53
Q4 2026
BUSINESS
Q2 AUTOMOTIVE
2026 AUTOMOTIVE
BUSINESS 5369
