AS Britain drives toward an all-electric future ahead of the 2030 new car deadline, new research from Isuzureveals just how deeply the nation's relationship with its vehicles is being transformed.

From affectionate nicknames to newfound pride in maintenance, electric vehicle (EV) owners are showing more emotional and personal connections with their cars than ever before.

The study highlights that the quiet, eco-friendly nature of EVs has sparked a wave of enthusiasm across the country, changing not just how people drive, but how they feel about their vehicles.

With all new cars due to become electric vehicles by 2030, half of (50 per cent) of Brits admit that the charged-up cars are changing their relationship with vehicles.

One in five (17 per cent) admit they clean their vehicle every week because they have pride in it, while 15 per cent make a point of taking their motor for a regular check-up because they care for it more.

A third (33 per cent) say they like cars MORE now because they are greener, with a quarter (24 per cent) feeling closer to them because they are not as noisy.

In fact, researchers from, who commissioned the research ahead of the release of its new D-Max EV which is the first fully electric, fully capable pick-up in the UK, found that the nation's love for electric vehicles is growing so rapidly that almost two thirds (59 per cent) would push friends and family to get one, especially as one in twenty (five per cent) admit they like EV owners more than other drivers.

But the nation's affection for electric vehicles doesn't end there, 58 per cent say they have an emotional bond with their car so much so that almost half (46 per cent) regularly give their motors nicknames with ‘Evie' (29 per cent), ‘Herbie' (15 per cent), ‘Sparky' (13 per cent) and ‘Yoda' (10 per cent) the top choices.

Nine per cent use the car's quiet performance as a nickname with ‘Silent Ride', while eight per cent play on the charging methods with ‘Electron' and ‘Voltaire' (eight per cent) also mentioned in the survey.

In classic British style, one in fourteen (seven per cent) draw inspiration from current affairs with ‘Volty McVoltface', ‘Charge Clooney' (seven per cent) and ‘Jolt Travolta' (four per cent).

Other names that feature in the top 25 list include ‘Lighting' (six per cent), ‘Hushmobile' (five per cent), ‘E-motion' (four per cent), ‘Chargezilla' (three per cent) and ‘Sparky McChargeface' (three per cent).

When it comes to how Brits pick a nickname for their vehicle, 38 per cent like to choose one that starts with the same letter as the make of car, while 25 per cent use the model to create a tag.

Family names (24 per cent), playing on the colour (13 per cent), using a childhood nickname (12 per cent) and picking a name from their favourite TV show or film (10 per cent) are other ways the nation uses to pick a name for their motor.

But our love for our cars doesn't stop at nicknames; almost half (49 per cent) admit that they regularly talk to their car, with 55 per cent going a step further and saying they talk more to their vehicle than to their loved ones.

Head of Marketing at Isuzu UK, George Wallis, said: "Brits clearly have a real spark when it comes to naming their EVs, from Charge Clooney to Volty McVoltface, it's great to see people forming such strong emotional connections with their EV vehicles.

At Isuzu, we're getting ready to plug an EV gap with the upcoming D-Max EV, the first ever, fully electric, fully capable pick-up. It's designed to keep the power, toughness, and capability our owners love and conduct itself well in all conditions."

With pre-sales due to begin later in 2025, the New Isuzu D-Max EV is the first fully electric pick-up in Europe to offer a one-tonne payload, 3.5-tonne towing capacity, and full-time 4WD.

The research also discovered that there are new rules of etiquette around charging points with ‘Don't park in a charging spot if you're not charging' (44 per cent), ‘Move your car as soon as it's charged' (43 per cent), ‘Be patient while waiting for your car to charge' (36 per cent) and ‘Don't unplug someone else's car without asking' (31 per cent) all making the list.

And it seems that car charging points are perhaps surprising spots for finding romance, with more than half (53 per cent) of people saying they are the perfect place to meet a potential partner.

In fact, a third (32 per cent) say that having an EV means that you're likely to be a good potential partner because you're environmentally minded and have similar tastes (25 per cent).

This research of 2,000 Brits was conducted by Perspectus Global in March 2025.