Growing competition from Chinese car brands is helping improve the conditions for UK drivers considering an electric vehicle, according to the AA.
Its EV Readiness Index reached 60 out of 100 in the third quarter of 2026, up from 58.8 in Q2 and its highest score so far.
The index combines measures including vehicle prices, charging and insurance costs, charging availability and roadside assistance data.
The AA said Chinese brands accounted for 15.8% of UK new vehicle sales in August, compared with 5.5% a year earlier. In a survey of its members, 47% thought the increased competition would benefit buyers.
That does not mean all buyers are ready to consider the cars.
The survey found 42% would not consider a Chinese-made vehicle, while a quarter believed established brands offered better quality than Chinese manufacturers.
For dealers taking on newer brands, the findings point to a need to address questions about quality and ownership alongside price.
Dean Keeling, managing director of roadside services at the AA, said Chinese manufacturers were bringing “increasingly sophisticated, competitively priced vehicles to market”.
He said: “The lesson for the UK isn’t simply to impose tougher sales targets. It is to create the conditions that make consumers want, and are able, to buy electric vehicles.”
Used EV price gap narrows
The AA’s index put the average new EV purchase price 25% above that of an equivalent petrol car in Q3, down from 26% in the previous quarter. In the used market, the gap narrowed from 3% to 1%.
Home charging remained 66% cheaper per mile than petrol, according to the AA’s figures, while ultra-rapid public charging was around 15% more expensive per mile. The difference underlines how a buyer’s access to charging can change the cost comparison presented in a dealership.
The AA said its patrols fixed 88.1% of EV callouts at the roadside, compared with 83.5% of petrol vehicle callouts. Running out of charge accounted for 1.3% of its EV callouts.
Keeling said new entrants would also need aftersales support: “EVs generally require less conventional servicing and more work can increasingly be carried out by mobile technicians.”
The AA called for certainty over the UK’s zero-emission vehicle mandate as the Government reviews its targets.
AA president Edmund King said: “The EV Readiness Index reaching 60 is another significant milestone. It shows that the conditions for going electric are steadily improving, but a score of 60 also tells us that we aren’t there yet.”