One in five drivers do not know they can lease an electric car

What the survey found

Source: Gateway2Lease and YouGov, 15 September 2026.

A YouGov survey commissioned by Gateway2Lease, released on 15 September 2026, found that 22 percent of drivers surveyed who do not have an EV are unaware they could lease one instead of buying. The sample was 2,054 UK adults, of whom 686 drive and own a vehicle, are unlikely to switch to an EV and selected upfront cost as a barrier. Fieldwork ran online from 1 to 2 June 2026 and was weighted to UK adults aged 18 and over. The finding matters because it sits directly against the barrier those drivers named: upfront cost. If a driver believes the only route to an EV is a purchase, the sticker price becomes the whole conversation. Leasing changes that conversation, because the vehicle is not bought at all.

The awareness gap is not evenly spread. Lack of awareness is greatest among drivers aged 35 plus and among women, and 59 percent of those unaware of EV leasing are women. The survey also tested what drivers assume about the money. 28 percent of respondents assume leasing's upfront cost is similar to buying, while 34 percent know it is possible to lease and that the upfront cost could be lower. That leaves a substantial group holding an assumption that may be wrong in their own circumstances. Gateway2Lease is a car and van leasing broker based in Worcestershire, founded in 2008, FCA authorised, a BVRLA member and ranked fifth in the Broker News BN25 league table. The commissioning interest is therefore a leasing broker's, and the survey results should be read with that in mind.

Leasing versus buying versus PCP

Personal contract hire is a lease with no option to own. The driver pays a fixed monthly amount for an agreed term, works within a mileage limit, and returns the car at the end. Depreciation risk sits with the lessor, not the driver, because the car is handed back rather than sold on. PCP, or personal contract purchase, works differently: monthly payments are made over a term, and at the end there is an optional final payment, often called a balloon payment, that buys the car outright. If that payment is not made, the car goes back under similar return conditions to a lease. Outright purchase or hire purchase is the ownership route: the driver pays for the car, owns it, and carries the resale value, which also means carrying the depreciation.

The practical difference for an EV buyer is where the money goes and when. Kelly Marshall, Managing Director of Gateway2Lease, said: 'Unlike buying an EV, there's no big financial outlay with leasing. Instead, payments are spread throughout the term of the lease, which can help consumers to budget for a new car.' That statement describes the structure rather than a universal saving. A lease spreads cost across the term and removes the resale question, but it also removes the asset. A PCP keeps the option of ownership open at a known final figure. Buying keeps both the asset and the depreciation. The right structure depends on how long the car is kept, how many miles are driven, and whether the driver wants to own the vehicle at the end. Leasing brokers must be FCA authorised for consumer credit broking, which is the regulatory baseline for anyone arranging this type of agreement.

Salary sacrifice and the grant

Employer salary sacrifice schemes take the lease from gross pay, which saves income tax and National Insurance on the amount sacrificed, with benefit-in-kind tax on EVs charged at the low rates set by HMRC. Because the payment comes out before tax, the effective monthly cost to the employee is lower than paying for the same lease from net pay. Gateway2Lease reports a 48 percent year-on-year increase in employees choosing an electric vehicle through salary sacrifice, including via its partner The Electric Car Scheme. That figure is the broker's own reported growth, not an independent market measure, but it indicates the route is being used more often. Salary sacrifice depends on an employer offering a scheme and on the employee's tax position, and it changes the terms of employment paperwork, so it is not available to every driver.

Separately, the government's Electric Car Grant gives a discount of 3,750 or 1,500 pounds on more than 60 new EVs. The grant reduces the price of eligible new cars rather than the monthly payment directly, though a lower list price feeds through to lease costs on qualifying models. Running costs also differ from petrol or diesel. EVs are exempt from the London Ultra Low Emission Zone charge and Clean Air Zone charges in other cities, which removes a recurring cost for drivers in those areas. Home charging on an EV tariff is generally cheaper per mile than pump prices, and the case study in the release illustrates the gap: Laurina Moody, 63, of Faversham, estimates her leased Suzuki e-Vitara costs a third as much to run as her previous petrol Mazda CX-3. That is one driver's estimate, not an average, but it shows the running cost comparison drivers are making.

What to check before signing

The monthly figure is not the whole contract. The annual mileage cap determines how many miles are included, and going over it triggers an excess charge measured in pence per mile. Damage and wear charges apply at return, and the standard for fair wear and tear is set out in the agreement. Early termination costs apply if the lease ends before the term finishes, and those costs can be significant because the agreement is priced over the full period. The initial rental is often several months up front, which is the largest single payment in most leases and the figure that most affects the upfront cost comparison in the survey. Insurance is another point to confirm: the driver normally arranges it, and the insurer needs to know the car is leased rather than owned. The broker's FCA authorisation and BVRLA membership are the two credentials to verify, because they indicate the firm is regulated for consumer credit broking and signed up to a trade body's standards.

The wider context is the 2030 date for ending sales of new petrol and diesel cars, which sets the timeline for the transition the survey is measuring. Drivers weighing a first EV against that date are choosing between structures as much as between cars. Gateway2Lease's ten best-selling EVs in 2026 were the Tesla Model Y, Omoda E5, Jaecoo E5, BYD Seal, BYD Sealion 7, Renault 5 E-Tech, Tesla Model 3, BMW iX3, MINI Countryman and Renault 4 E-Tech. That list reflects the broker's own sales rather than the wider market, and it is published by the same firm that commissioned the survey. The awareness finding stands on its own: 22 percent of drivers surveyed without an EV did not know leasing was available to them, and 28 percent assumed the upfront cost matched buying. Checking the contract terms before signing is the step that turns either assumption into a decision.

Source: Gateway2Lease release via Pressat, 15 September 2026.

Related coverage on Kael Tripton: Before You Buy an Electric Car: Real Costs, Range, Charging and What to Check in 2026, Electric Car Insurance UK 2026: How EV Cover Works, Costs and What to Look For, Smart EV Charging Plan Could Save Drivers Up to £1,000 a Year on Electricity Bills, EV Charging Costs UK: Home Charging vs Public Charging Compared, FCA Taskforce Cracks Down on Misleading Car Finance Ads.

Frequently asked questions

How many drivers did not know they could lease an EV?

22 percent of drivers surveyed who do not have an EV were unaware they could lease one instead of buying, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Gateway2Lease and released on 15 September 2026.

Who was surveyed?

The sample was 2,054 UK adults, of whom 686 drive and own a vehicle, are unlikely to switch to an EV and selected upfront cost as a barrier. Fieldwork ran online from 1 to 2 June 2026 and was weighted to UK adults aged 18 and over.

Which groups were least aware of EV leasing?

Lack of awareness is greatest among drivers aged 35 plus and among women. 59 percent of those unaware of EV leasing are women.

What do drivers assume about the upfront cost of leasing?

28 percent of respondents assume leasing's upfront cost is similar to buying, while 34 percent know it is possible to lease and that the upfront cost could be lower.

How does personal contract hire differ from PCP?

Personal contract hire is a lease with no option to own, with fixed monthly payments, a mileage limit and the car returned at the end. PCP includes an optional final payment, often called a balloon payment, to buy the car at the end of the term.