Irish drivers have proven themselves to be an environmentally conscientious bunch when contemplating purchasing their next vehicle, according to a survey by Carzone.
The survey of 2,030 Irish adults and more than 70 million searches carried out on Carzone from June to December in 2017 revealed that 70 per cent would consider purchasing an electric or hybrid car as their next vehicle.
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 release lower emissions into the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland and making a difference to global warming.
However, 69 per cent of Irish drivers believe it will be more than 10 years before electric cars make up more than half of all cars sold in Ireland. This could be due to the fact that 82 per cent do not have charging points near their work place and that charging points seem to be more widely available in urban areas. There is also a slight concern that this new technology is not completely reliable.
Fuel of the future
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 per cent revealing that they would consider purchasing an electric car in the future.
A sizable portion of respondents (54 per cent ) revealed that they were more inclined to purchase a hybrid vehicle. This decision is helped by the new cost incentive Benefit-in-Kind grant, which is an attractive incentive, especially for businesses who operate using multiple vehicles.
Find your match
Searches for electric cars has increased by more than 180 per cent year on year in 2017. 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.
To access a full copy of the report, visit www.carzone.ie
