Four women discussed why women do not try electric vehicles in a discussion held on the ground of the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Sunday.
The discussion was hosted by Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F) Corporate communications specialist McKenzie Smith with automotive journalists Erin Baker and Freda Lewis-Stempel, and Senior Director of Policy at Chargepoint Tanya Sinclair.
The women discussed how women feel uncomfortable in dealership spaces due to higher risk perception, have fears about accessibility and running out of charge, unlit charging spaces, and more.
These are five tips from these women to automakers to make the EV experience more welcoming for women:
- Normalize charging: "...wherever you go, it (charging) should be an experience you are comfortable and confident with," Sinclair said. The first step towards it would be standardization, she noted, and a reduction in the currently existing steps, which includes downloading an app, figuring out the compatible mode of payment, etc. She said that reliability and a standard user experience, much like conventional fueling, will bring confidence to all drivers.
- Cut down on the jargon: EVs come with a lot of jargon and technicalities in marketing and explanation, including regarding charging speeds, ports, and other tech. "If we don't get it, consumers are never going to get it, and we shouldn't have to, you know," Baker said. Instead, manufacturers must try different ways of explaining how EVs work generally and for the driver.
- Make the women on ads more relatable: The women in marketing and advertising for EVs and cars generally have little resemblance to most women's realistic lives. "Why aren't car manufacturers showing us a real woman driving these cars? You know, the woman is going on a school run. Show us that, and then immediately you can see that EV in your own life," Lewis-Stempel said.
- Make the tech accessible: With women, the concerns of running out of charge and getting stuck somewhere is prevalent, Sinclair said. The technology must be made accessible, widespread, and public, they noted, particularly given that women are more disadvantaged in the charging approach.
- Make charging safer: With EVs, drivers have to wait a while until their vehicles charge, unlike combustion vehicles wherein fueling takes five minutes in the presence of staff and CCTVs, making some women feel unsafe, they noted. Operators must not just provide chargers but a safe and pleasant experience with basics like lighting and signage. Most importantly, the charger has to be working, Sinclair said.