Car owners are more likely to respond to messaging on electric vehicles that highlights the popularity of greener vehicles in the UK and deaths from air pollution.
A British government trial conducted in the spring and summer last year examined people renewing their car tax online. They were greeted by a message that, when clicked upon, took them to a website promoting electric cars.
Eight messages of varying content were available, including a control that read: “Information is available on electric vehicles. Make your next car electric.”
The most effective messaging concerned the government’s drive towards greener vehicles and their increasing popularity.
“The government are consulting on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans by 2035 or earlier. Are you ready? Make your next car electric,” the most successful message read.
“Join the 6,000 new drivers every month who make the switch to an electric vehicle. Make your next car electric,”’ the second most popular said.
The third most clicked-upon message highlighted that between 28,000 and 36,000 people die each year from air pollution.
The least successful – which attracted less interest than even the control message – focused on the ease of recharging electric vehicles and how cheap they are compared to a diesel or petrol car.
Click-through rates from those visiting the government’s website to renew their vehicle tax ranged from 2.3 per cent to 3.5 per cent.
“Click-through rates of each message were compared from pre-lockdown to post-lockdown,” researchers said.
“Overall, patterns in the trial are similar across both periods. However, during lockdown, click-through rates for all messages decreased significantly by an average of 14 per cent.”
