July 16, 2018—New research indicates that 58 percent of consumers believe that electric vehicles are the future of the automotive industry, and 52 percent feel that society should transition to emission-free transportation soon. Research from market intelligence agency Mintel also noted that 62 percent of consumers hope to produce a smaller ecological footprint soon and, thus, would consider a hybrid/EV for their next vehicle purchase.
However, as noted in a MediaPost report, only 13 percent of consumers are current or previous owners of a hybrid of EV.
Still, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of potential car buyers say they would consider purchasing a hybrid or EV, and that figure increases to 76 percent for “millennials” (considered to be, for the sake of this poll, those aged 24-41 years).
Buddy Lo, an automotive analyst at Mintel, said the research indicates that it’s in OEMs’ best interest to produce economically-friendly vehicles.
“... Winning over younger consumers, who show the greatest interest in purchasing an alternative energy vehicle, could be a boon for auto manufacturers as it is likely to result in brand-loyal, repeat buyers,” he noted.
