Hybrid demand surges in second-hand market
Demand for hybrids is soaring in the used car market.
Buyacar has reported its highest ever proportion of hybrid customers, with sales this year to 20 April up 27% from the same period last year. And in terms of market share, hybrids have increased by 17%.
Peter Gibney, head of commercial operations, said: “With the clock ticking down toward the end of new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030 and pure electric vehicles remaining an unknown quantity for many buyers in the used car market, it is perhaps no surprise to see hybrids suddenly gaining popularity.
“Because the hybrid variant typically costs more to buy, where there is a choice of fuel type, it seems unlikely that consumers are choosing them purely to save money on their motoring. But it seems plausible that choosing a hybrid is a tentative step toward the electric future and that’s what we think is accelerating hybrid sales this year.
“The increase in choice, with new hybrid models introduced in the past couple of years now reaching the used market, is also doubtless having an impact.
“There’s still a long way to go for motorists to wean themselves off traditional fuels and this month hybrids still only represent around one in 20 sales, but every sign is that the corner is now being turned and hybrids are on the march.”
