Over half of all car buyers expect their next purchase to be either an electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid. 

The latest eBay Motors Group Consumer Insight Panel research, which surveyed the views of over 2,000 decision makers, found petrol remains the go-to fuel choice for most buyers (35%), but is closely matched by hybrids (32%), followed by EVs (20%) and diesel (12%). 

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Of those buyers considering a hybrid, over half (56%) expect to buy a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV). 

Overall, the research found a 72% surge in interest in EVs since May 2020, with hybrids growing by 45% in the same period. 

In the six months since March this year, the number of buyers searching online for used PHEVs has increased by 12%, but just 2% for EVs, reflecting the gradual increase in stock being sourced by dealers. 

Lucy Tugby, Marketing Director of eBay Motors Group, said: “Our research was conducted just after the government moved the ban of new petrol and diesel sales from 2030 to 2035; despite this one in five buyers expect their next car to be an EV, showing the strength of consumer appetite to transition.”

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“PHEVs also have a key role to play as alternatives to pure combustion engine vehicles with buyers, especially when it comes to searching for used models where interest is currently on a par with EVs. 

“For dealers this means there are opportunities to engage online with used car buyers seriously considering hybrids and PHEVs as viable alternatives to diesel and petrol when searching for their next car,” said Tugby.