ONE IN THREE DRIVERS DON’T KNOW WHETHER TO BUY PETROL, ELECTRIC OR DIESEL POWERED CAR
- 37% holding onto cars longer than usual as not sure which fuel type to go for
- Only 8% of drivers say they will buy an electric car for next car
Almost one in three drivers (32%) say if they were buying a new or a second-hand car they do not know whether to buy a petrol, electric or diesel powered one. Younger drivers, 18 – 34s, are even more undecided with almost half (49%) saying they are unsure what type of fuel-powered car to go for.
The Opinium survey of 2,000 UK drivers, commissioned by InsuretheGap.com, a provider of GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) insurance, finds that over a third (37%) are also holding onto their current car for longer than usual as they do not to know whether to buy a petrol, electric or diesel car (men 41% and women 33%).
While the government is keen for drivers to switch to non-fossil fuel cars, and the sale of wholly- powered new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030 (and new hybrids from 2035), this survey reveals that consumers are unsure of what they should or should not be buying.
Also, only 8% of drivers say they will buy an electric car for their next car purchase (10% men and 6% women).
Ben Wooltorton, Chief Operating Office, InsuretheGap.com, said: “With the UK government banning the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2030, drivers do need to start looking at electric cars seriously. However, this survey clearly shows that there is still little appetite and more than a little confusion. It looks like a lot more reassurance is needed before many motorists will be ready to ditch their internal combustion engines for good.”
The survey of 2,001 drivers (18+) was carried out by Opinium from 5 – 9 February 2021.
