Irish drivers have proven themselves to be an environmentally conscientious bunch when contemplating purchasing their next vehicle, according to a survey by Carzone, Ireland’s number one website to buy and sell new and used cars.
The research of 2,030 Irish adults and over 70 million searches carried out on Carzone from June to December in 2017, examines the entire car buying process of type and brand from the research phase to end purchase.
Consumers are now beginning to look at innovative options, with 70% revealing that they would consider purchasing an electric or hybrid car as their next vehicle.
This moderate incline in interest is directly in line with three factors that Irish motorists now take in to consideration, according to the latest Carzone motoring report.
The top three incentives for Irish drivers considering purchasing an electrical vehicle are; environmental, fuel efficiency and financial incentives.
GO GREEN
The fact that electric and hybrid cars are environmentally friendly proves to be the main incentive for Irish drivers planning to purchase.
These vehicles immerse lower emissions into the environment, reducing transport greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland and making a difference to global warming.
However, 69% of Irish drivers believe it will be more than 10 years before electric cars make up more than half of cars sold in Ireland.
This could be due to the fact that 82% do not have charging points near their work place and that charging points seem to be more widely available in urban areas (76%) compared to rural areas (30%).
There is also a slight concern amongst Irish drivers that this new technology is not completely reliable and could potentially prolong their decision to purchase an electric motor.
FUEL OF THE FUTURE
Cost efficacy seems to be a recurring factor for Irish motorists. Rising fuel costs continue to be at the forefront of many drivers’ minds going into 2018.
Electric cars prove to be kinder to our pockets as well as the environment, leading to 16% revealing that they would consider purchasing an electric car in the feature.
A sizeable portion of respondents (54%) revealed that they were more inclined to purchase a hybrid vehicle, this decision is helped by the new cost incentive BIK (Benefit – in – Kind) grant, which is an attractive incentive, especially for businesses who rely on and operate using multiple vehicles.
FIND YOUR MATCH
Data captured from Carzone.ie also revealed that searches for electric cars has increased by over 180% year on year in 2017. This gives a clear indication that electric cars are beginning to be more appealing and attractive and consumers are becoming curious.
As the interest in electric and hybrid cars continues to grow, the most popular makes and models searched on Carzone are the Hyundai IONIQ and the Toyota Auris.
You can find a wide range of hybrid and electric cars on Carzone.ie, the best destination to help you find your perfect match.
To access a full copy of the report, visit: http://www.carzone.ie/report/
