7:58 am, October 9, 2020
Nearly 14 million UK motorists have changed their car-buying plans because of the pandemic, new research indicates.
The easing of lockdown may have seen pent-up demand driving up car sales but 7.5 million drivers are less likely to buy a new or used car because of the pandemic, according to the survey.
It’s not all doom and gloom for the industry though – 6.4 million are now more likely to change their car in the coming year, and 51 per cent of them planned to buy a new model.
One-fifth of those drivers wanted to use their car more as they wanted to avoid public transport.
In addition, nearly 18 per cent wanted to buy a greener car as they’d seen the environmental impact of using their car less.
But the survey of 2,000 UK adults for Kwik Fit revealed that just eight per cent expected their next purchase to be an electric vehicle.
The drivers not planning to go electric next cited a lack of fast chargers (37 per cent) as the main reason, followed by range anxiety (35 per cent) and the higher price (33 per cent).
Roger Griggs, communications director of Kwik Fit, said: ‘Coronavirus has changed so many lives this year that it’s no surprise people are altering their car-buying plans.
‘But we were astonished to see just how many drivers say they are more likely to buy a new car as a result of the pandemic.
‘No matter if it is a new or used car, people are buying.’
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