Consumers unfazed by latest hybrid news

30/05/2018

Consumers unfazed by latest hybrid news

Fears that consumers could turn their backs on hybrid cars after revelations they may fall under a conventional fuel ban have proved unfounded.

That's the finding of online motor retail specialist BuyaCar.co.uk, after analysing the behaviour of hundreds of thousands of visitors to their site before and after the claims.

Controversy erupted at the beginning of May when an internal government row over including hybrid cars in the 'Road to Zero' plan, which maps the end of conventionally-fuelled cars by 2040, made headlines.

It prompted concern across the industry that the publicity could spark a repeat of last year's collapse in diesel sales.

Reports that environment secretary Michael Gove was spearheading moves to ban hybrids were widely condemned by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and professional commentators across the industry.

Among their fears were that confused consumers could switch attention away from hybrid cars, leading to a further overall rise in CO2 emissions if car buyers opted instead for conventional petrol engines.

Last year BuyaCar.co.uk exclusively revealed that the 'war on diesel' had already caused the first rise in CO2 emissions for 14 years.

However, it seems car buyers have taken little notice of the latest controversy.

Analysis of vehicles searched for as well as cars ordered on BuyaCar.co.uk shows that interest in hybrid cars is unchanged, at just under ten per cent of all searches and sales.

Austin Collins, managing director of BuyaCar.co.uk, welcomed the findings. He said, 'Car buyers are often given mixed signals by government, which can cause confusion and even lead to unintended consequences such as the rise in CO2 emissions caused by people being driven out of diesel and into higher CO2 petrol cars.

'If confidence in hybrid cars had been damaged by the recent scare stories about a future ban, the concern was that motorists could have switched their attention again to higher CO2 petrol cars.

'But after analysing the behaviour of visitors to BuyaCar.co.uk before and after the recent controversy there seems to have been absolutely no impact on consumer perceptions of hybrid cars.'