The obstacle to conversion: Few can charge the car at home

Interest in driving electric cars is at a record high, but according to a survey, 6 out of 10 Swedes still lack the ability to charge their car at home.

Switching from fossil-fueled to electrified cars is something that is highlighted as one of the most important activities in climate work. Yet there is a lack of public charging stations and many people say that they do not have the opportunity to charge their electric car at home. According to a new survey in which we asked Swedes about their charging options at home, only 29 percent say that they can charge their car at home.

– Being able to easily charge your electric car while you sleep, are at work or on the go is a prerequisite for more people wanting to switch to an electric car, so this is bad news for the climate goal and the transition, says Daniel Odsberg, sales manager at Kvdbil .

Apartment owners say they don't actually know whether they can install a charging station or not.

Big difference depending on where you live

At the same time, many homeowners believe that they will be able to easily arrange a charging station – when it is time to purchase an electric car. Those who live in apartments, however, state that it is not as easy to arrange their own charging facility. There is great uncertainty among both groups, with both homeowners and apartment owners saying that they actually do not know whether they can install a charging station or not.

– You may not have a parking space or you may encounter bureaucratic problems when you want to get a charging station installed. We know that the government is on the issue, but it would have to go much faster. In some countries there is something called a “right-to-charge-law”, which means that you cannot be refused to install a charging station in your parking lot as long as you pay for the cost yourself. It might also be something for Sweden to follow, says Daniel Odsberg.

About the survey

The survey was conducted in Kantar Sifo's web panel during the period 16-19 March 2022. A total of 1145 people aged 18-79 were interviewed. The web panel is nationally representative and recruited based on random selection. There is no self-recruitment in Sifo's web panel.