Hybrid technology is, by many, considered to offer the best of both worlds. The electric motor in the vehicle is charged by the conventional fuel-driven engine and it offers excellent fuel efficiency.
Buyer interest and the sales of hybrid cars are at an all-time high.
“Hybrid cars have been around for some years now. The first hybrid launched in South Africa was the Toyota Prius back in 2005. That said, as an industry, we are in the process of transitioning into a market that is geared and prepared for new energy vehicles at scale. Hybrid vehicles, which, thanks to the escalating fuel price, are now more popular than ever before, offer a bridge to electric powertrain modes of transport. But there’s little research into the hybrid market available to the industry,” explains AutoTrader CEO, George Mienie.
A recent survey by AutoTrader about consumer behaviour relating to hybrid vehicles revealed a lot of interesting data about the new energy vehicle market.
Hybrids are still very much an unknown for many potential buyers. More than 60% of South African consumers have never experienced a hybrid car while fewer than 5% have owned one.
Here are just some of the interesting findings of this report:
- Hybrid sales in South Africa are up by 1 885% compared to 2021.
- Hybrid enquiries are up 64% year on year.
- In 2022 there were 14 hybrid brands offering 40 different models and 80 variants among them.
- The most viewed hybrid brands were BMW, Haval, Honda, Ferrari, Infinity, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes, Volvo, Toyota and Porsche.
- In the age group18 to 24 years old, 50% of the respondents indicated that they had driven a hybrid car
- Access to a charging facility is important when considering buying an electric vehicle, but only 34% of respondents sighted this as a disadvantage.
- 38.6% indicated that they will only buy a hybrid car if it offers between 2 to 3.9L /100km.
- Toyota, at 62.1%, is the most trusted brand when it comes to the manufacture of hybrid cars.
Respondents were also questioned about their expectations in terms of the charging times and range capabilities they require from a hybrid car.
The report concluded that there is still much education to be done by all the relevant stakeholders to facilitate the adaptation of hybrid and new technology vehicles.
Source: Nikki Chennells
