11:22 am, May 12, 2023
One in two buyers expect to get an EV or hybrid as their next car – and women are more likely to make the switch than ever.
That’s according to new research by eBay Motors Group, which found that EV ownership was currently heavily weighted towards men, accounting for more than six in 10 vehicles.
However, the share of women owning EVs will jump from 38 per cent to 43 per cent in the next buying cycle, it said.
A similar trend is expected with hybrids – plug-ins and self-charging models – where male ownership will drop from 61 per cent to 55 per cent, as female ownership grows from 39 per cent to 45 per cent.
The research, which saw 2,000 car buyers quizzed, also identified changing demographics by age, with older buyers now more likely to opt for an EV than before.
Currently, more than half (55 per cent) of EVs are owned by under-35s and 22 per cent by over-45s. In the next buying cycle, though, under-35s will drop to 42 per cent, while over-45s will significantly increase to 37 per cent.
Changing geographical factors were also identified by the study.
It showed that London accounts for most EV ownership at the moment (38 per cent), but this will fall to just 19 per cent as other parts of the UK increase their take-up.
Lucy Tugby, marketing director of eBay Motors Group, said: ‘The transition to EV and hybrid ownership is evolving at a fast pace, with our research showing a clear shift to a gender split more aligned to the wider car-buying public.
‘For showroom sales teams, this means thinking beyond the stereotypes of the early adopters and seizing the opportunity to open up conversations with female customers and older buyers.’
She added: ‘We know from previous Consumer Insight Panel research that buyers over 45 are more likely to factor in the long-term environmental impact of the cars they purchase than younger buyers.
‘We identified this at the time as the emergence of a “grandparent effect” and we can now see this taking shape as they increasingly consider EVs for their next cars.
‘Dealers outside London, where the low emission zone helped kickstart EV sales, will also be encouraged by a more even distribution of demand, especially with the roll-out of clean air zones in many cities across the UK.’
