According to a recent poll by AA Ireland only one-third of drivers plan to buy another standard petrol or diesel car, but most of those who change will choose a hybrid rather than a fully electric car.
The majority of the drivers surveyed said that their next vehicle would not be a traditional ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle, but most are still reluctant to move to a fully electric vehicle.
39% of the drivers polled currently own a petrol car and 51% currently own a diesel car. Those who intend to change are three times more likely to pick a hybrid vehicle than a full EV.
2 in 5 of the current ICE drivers will go for a hybrid car next, compared to just 1 in 8 who say they’ll pick an EV.
“It appears that drivers are still reluctant to make the move to a full Electric Vehicle”, said AA spokesperson Lauren Beehan. “Most say they would choose a hybrid – but this could be a stepping stone to buying a full EV in years to come, as current hybrid drivers are more than twice as likely to buy an EV for their next vehicle as petrol and diesel drivers are. It seems those who have already made the switch to a hybrid or an EV are generally very happy with their choice, and almost none plan to go back to a fully ICE vehicle.”
90% of current EV owners plan to buy another EV, and 99% would not go back to an ICE.
1 in 3 current hybrid owners says they will move to fully electric next time, while a further 60% plan to buy another hybrid. Only 1.8% of hybrid drivers say they are planning to buy a traditional petrol/diesel vehicle again.