Hybrids seen as stepping stone to electric vehicles

A surge in demand for hybrid vehicles is being driven by a perceived ‘nervousness’ about electric vehicles, according to dealers.

A new survey has found that 63% of motorists are uncertain about switching to a 100% electric car, with 52% believing hybrid models are a valuable stepping stone

Meanwhile, 42% of used car buyers are attracted to the idea of having some electric capacity, backed up by a petrol engine, with more than a third (35%) view hybrids as a long-term alternative to fully electric vehicles.

This is according to August’s new Startline Used Car Tracker, which gauges used car sales trends within dealerships.

Electric vehicles

The survey also found that while only eight per cent of used car buyers have hybrids now, 39% expect their next car to be hybrid. This compares to three per cent currently driving an electric car and 16% planning to make their next purchase an EV.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said:

“This year, sales of plug-in hybrids are up by 31.5% and other hybrids by 21.6%, compared to only 9.7% for full EVs. From what dealers are saying in our research, it seems clear that consumers see them as a useful way to avoid some of the compromises they perceive around buying a full EV, such as range anxiety and the availability of charging. A hybrid provides a useful staging post until they feel comfortable with foregoing a petrol or diesel engine altogether.”