CLEPA Survey Finds Only 8% of EU Drivers Plan an EV as Their Next Car

A new survey from CLEPA, the European association representing automotive suppliers, suggests that enthusiasm for battery-electric vehicles may be cooling among buyers in the EU’s five largest markets. According to the findings, a mere 8 per cent of respondents said they intend to choose an electric car for their next purchase. That figure puts the study sharply at odds with other research on consumer intentions, which has generally pointed to stronger EV demand. CLEPA has not explained the gap, but the result is notable given the industry’s heavy investment in electrification.

The survey covered the five biggest countries in the European Union, though the summary does not break down results by market or provide a sample size. Even so, the headline number is striking: fewer than one in ten respondents expect their next vehicle to be electric. For suppliers and manufacturers already retooling factories around battery-powered models, that kind of sentiment could signal a slower-than-expected transition, at least on the consumer side.

The findings arrive as charging infrastructure, battery costs and government incentives remain central talking points across Europe. Whether the 8 per cent figure reflects a genuine shift in buyer priorities or an outlier shaped by survey methodology is unclear; what is clear is that the data contradicts the more optimistic picture painted by comparable studies. CLEPA’s full report may offer more context, but the topline alone is enough to prompt questions about the pace of EV adoption in the region’s core markets.