Marketers can’t make simplistic assumptions about why people would buy an electric car: a key insight from recent research shows that owners are not primarily motivated by the environment.

Why it matters

Vehicle manufacturers are far ahead of the general public in gearing themselves up for the end of the fossil fuel era. Marketing has a major role to play in persuading sceptical or puzzled consumers to make the switch to electric cars.

Takeaways

• Electric car owners are not primarily motivated by the environment. They need to feel the benefit on a personal level, whether it's saving money, looking...