9:27 am, November 24, 2023
Half of car buyers reckon it’ll take them longer to research and decide on buying an EV than it currently does for fossil-fuelled cars.
That’s according to eBay Motors Group’s Consumer Insight Panel, which polled 2,004 potential car buyers.
Overall, 50% said they expect to spend either ‘a little more’ or ‘considerably more’ time buying an EV than they do at the moment for petrol or diesel cars.
Less than a third (29%) reckon to spend the same amount of time in the process, but more than a fifth (21%) expect it to be shorter.
More women (56%) than men (48%) expect to spend longer on the EV buying process.
The research also found as high a proportion as 27% of current EV owners expect to spend longer searching for their next car, although 38% expect the process to be quicker.
Lucy Tugby, marketing director of eBay Motors Group, said: ‘Transitioning from combustion engines to electric is a big step for car buyers, which is why half expect to spend longer in the purchasing journey than they currently do.
‘Furthermore, our research shows more than a quarter of current EV owners expect to spend more time choosing their next EV than they would a combustion engine vehicle – possibly a reflection of the growing choice available on the new and used markets.’
She added: ‘When it comes to EVs, dealers have an important role to play to make online searches as frictionless as possible by providing clear, detailed and supportive information about the cars they are selling.
‘They also need to ensure showroom staff can talk authoritatively about the vehicles they are selling and appreciate that customers may require a little more time to be ready to buy.’
