New data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has highlighted a growing gap between consumer demand for electric vehicles and the government’s ambitions under the Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Mandate.
As manufacturers continue to lean on heavy price incentives to drive uptake, there’s mounting evidence that cost alone won’t increase EV adoption at the scale required.
Lynda Clarke, General Manager UK at Nayax, says the real barrier holding drivers back is confidence in charging infrastructure, not necessarily the price. In particular, she points to the everyday charging experience, such as reliability, clear pricing, and familiar payment methods.
“If EV adoption is going to scale, it can’t rely on short-term price incentives alone. Discounts may help manufacturers hit targets in the near term, but they don’t address what ultimately drives demand – whether the experience works for drivers in everyday life. For most people, the decision to go electric isn’t really about the headline price – it’s about confidence. Knowing charging will be available when they need it, that the experience is predictable, and that paying doesn’t feel unfamiliar or complicated.
“It all puts increasing pressure on charging infrastructure in places people actually use day to day, like car parks, workplaces, and retail sites. If a driver arrives at an unattended charger and is faced with unclear pricing, a complicated activation process, or a payment method they don’t recognise, it quickly becomes a barrier rather than an incentive.
“What we’re seeing now is operators looking for setups that are simpler to deploy and easier to run over time. In practice, that often means bringing the charger, certified energy metering, payments, and charge point management together, particularly in busy commercial environments where reliability really matters. When those elements work together, it creates a more consistent experience for drivers and fewer points of failure for operators.
“We’re seeing this reflected in the way our EV Meter offering is being adopted and in our partnership with Autel Energy, where Nayax’s payment technology and charge point management are built directly into AC chargers designed for commercial and car parks. Enabling familiar, card-based payment at the charger helps remove friction for drivers, while giving operators clearer visibility and control.
“When charging infrastructure feels easy, reliable, and familiar, it removes one of the biggest barriers holding drivers back from making the switch to EV.”
(Picture: Yay Images)
