Car buyers are more likely to buy a hybrid over a diesel for their next car purchase, according to a new study by Motors.co.uk.

Its Consumer Insight Panel survey found that 22% of car buyers said they would buy a hybrid, while only 16% want a diesel.

Petrol remains the most popular fuel choice with over half (52%) of consumers considering their next car.

“Our Consumer Insight Panel research shows how alternative fuels are being increasingly considered by car buyers for their next purchase,” said Dermot Kelleher, Motors.co.uk’s head of marketing and business intelligence.

“The percentage of consumers expecting to buy an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) as their next purchase has grown since last summer, with hybrid increasing the gap between it and diesel as the number two choice. This increase in intent to choose hybrid reflects its position as a practical transitional technology, with some drivers seeing it as a viable alternative to diesel.

“However, in terms of the overall impact of this desire for AFVs on used sales in the short to medium term, I think we will see consumer demand being greater than supply, resulting in continued strong sales for the traditional fuel types,” he said.

The research identified electric as the fastest growing fuel type with 10% of consumers saying they expected to buy an EV as their next purchase, compared with just 5% when the research was last conducted in August 2018.

Although traditional fuel types continue to dominate both the new and used car markets, the latest Consumer Insight Panel research shows how consideration of petrol vehicles for future purchases has dropped from 57% nine months ago to 52% and from 19% to 16% for diesel.

“Whilst sales of EVs are growing, overall volumes are still small. However, this will change with the removal of benefit-in-kind taxation for company car drivers in the 2020/21 tax year, the commitment shown by BMW Group to build an electric Mini in Oxford and Jaguar Land Rover’s investment in EV production at Castle Bromwich,” added Kelleher.