Millions of drivers could be left behind by the transition to electric vehicles, with calls for more to be done to ensure all motorists have the confidence to switch.
Despite representing 49 per cent of driving licence holders across the UK, new research suggests that women remain "significantly underrepresented" among owners of electric cars.
Research shows that only one-third of electric vehicle drivers are female, while maintaining a 50 per cent split with men among petrol car owners.
Experts have warned that, without action, a huge proportion of the population could be left behind in the coming years as petrol and diesel cars are phased out.
New vehicles with internal combustion engines will be banned from 2030, with electric being the only vehicle option from 2035 in the UK.
To ensure all drivers are represented in the switch to electric vehicles, a new movement, Global Women in EV Day, will launch next week.
The initiative is designed to highlight that the "EV gender gap isn't just an equity issue, it's an adoption issue" to manufacturers, charge point operators and the wider sector.
Separate data from EngineeringUK suggests that women make up just over 15 per cent of the nation's engineering and technology workforce.
Millions of people are at risk of being left behind by the EV revolution
|GETTY/PA
To combat this, Global Women in EV Day will allow companies across the electric car industry to make "visible, measurable commitments" to amplify women's voices and recognise leadership.
Gill Nowell, Founder of Global Women in EV Day, emphasised that February 10 will be about "visibility, momentum and action".
She explained: "The transition to electric mobility gives us a once-in-a-generation chance to build a fairer, more inclusive industry - but only if we choose to design it that way.
"It's about recognising the women already driving this transition, and making sure the next generation sees that they belong here too."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Gill Nowell has called for more to be done to support women in the transition to electric vehicles
|GLOBAL WOMEN IN EV DAY
The campaign is backed by a number of Founding Partners such as Autotrader, Amplify EV, Octopus Electroverse, Zapmap, Zemo Partnership, GreenFleet, Sinewave, EVA England, Electra Connect, Osprey Charging Network, ChargeWise CX, EVEREC, and Green Car Guide.
The new initiative is also being supported by international partners, including EV FirePro from Australia and The Green Cab in South Africa.
Rachel Beaton, Commercial Director at Octopus Electroverse, Europe’s largest EV public charging network, praised the creation of the campaign, noting that it will launch at the Octopus Electroverse HQ in London next week.
She said: "We are proud to host the first Global Women in EV Day - a moment for the industry to come together, amplify diverse voices, and commit to a more inclusive future.
The Global Women in EV Day will launch at Octopus Electroverse HQ on February 10
|OCTOPUS
"The transition to electric mobility must put all drivers at the centre, regardless of their gender or background."
Similarly, Melanie Shufflebotham, cofounder and COO of Zapmap, said supporting women in the transition to zero emission vehicles was "essential".
This was echoed by Amiene van der Merwe, founder and director of The Green Cab, who said the transition to electric vehicles in South Africa was about "access, jobs and opportunity".
"Global Women in EV Day shines a light on the women building cleaner, more gender-equitable transport systems, and on putting women firmly in the driver’s seat of the green economy," she added.