At a glance
- 55% of 17 to 20-year-olds want their first car to be electric, according to an E.ON Next survey of 1,500 young and soon-to-be drivers carried out in August 2026.
- Running costs are the big draw, with 56% agreeing an EV saves money and 19% liking the idea of charging at home.
- Almost a quarter (23%) say owning a petrol car is as outdated as using a landline.
- Electric cars made up 26.2% of new car registrations from January to September 2026, according to the SMMT, while petrol fell to 41.5%.
- For a new driver, a used EV can now be an affordable first car, but check the insurance and where you'll charge it first.
More than half of young drivers want their first car to be electric, according to a survey of 1,500 17 to 20-year-olds by energy supplier E.ON Next, and running costs are the main reason. The survey, carried out in August, found 55% want an electric first car, 56% agree an EV saves money, and 23% think owning a petrol car is as outdated as using a landline, which will come as news to anyone who's still got one in the hallway.
Why young drivers want electric cars
Money comes first. One in five of those surveyed (20%) said low day-to-day running costs were a main reason for going electric, 19% liked the idea of charging at home and 18% were keen to stop making regular trips to the petrol station. E.ON Next worked out that a 19-year-old covering 7,000 miles a year could save up to £890 in the first year by charging at home on one of its tariffs instead of running a comparable petrol car, though that figure leaves out the cost of buying, insuring and maintaining the car, so treat it as a best case.
A good number of young drivers have already written petrol off altogether. Some 21% said they can't see themselves ever driving a petrol car, 63% expect petrol and diesel cars to disappear in their lifetime, and 53% think they'll be the last generation to drive them routinely.
They're also working on their parents. According to the survey, 41% have had help from a parent or guardian to get an EV, 36% are encouraging their parents to switch and 29% say they've already talked them into it, so if your teenager has been dropping hints about charging cables, you're not alone.
How many electric cars are being sold in the UK?
The wider market is heading the same way. Electric cars accounted for 26.2% of all new cars registered in the UK from January to September 2026, with 454,947 sold, up 30.2% on the same period last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Petrol cars made up 41.5% of the market and diesels just 4.5%. September alone, traditionally one of the busiest months of the year thanks to the new number plate, saw electric cars take 28.3% of sales.
Is an electric car a good first car?
It can be, and it's more affordable than it was, because used electric cars have fallen sharply in value, which means a three-year-old Fiat 500e or Vauxhall Corsa Electric can now be bought for not much more than £10,000. They're simple to drive, with no gears or clutch to worry about, and smaller EVs suit the short trips most new drivers make.
There are two things to check first. Insurance is usually the biggest cost for a new driver, so get quotes before you buy, and think about where you'll charge, because the savings depend on plugging in at home. If you're relying on public rapid chargers, the cost per mile can be several times higher.
If you're buying a used EV as your first car, check its history with Regit's free MOT checker before you hand over any money, so you know how it's been looked after.
Our verdict
Young drivers have done the maths, and for anyone who can charge at home, an electric first car makes a lot of sense, especially now that used EVs cost so much less than they did. Just get an insurance quote before you fall for one, because for a 17-year-old that's the number that decides what you can actually afford.