PHEV owners more likely to buy a fully electric car

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have been found to play an important part in helping buyers make the switch to fully electric cars, in a new survey commissioned by Mitsubishi.

It polled more than 1000 of its customers and found that 70% of those with an Outlander PHEV would consider a fully electric car for their next purchase.

The survey also revealed that almost half of those that bought an Outlander PHEV would have considered an electric car but were put off by range anxiety.

Rob Lindley, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said, “This latest research reinforces the fact that PHEVs are a gateway to an all-EV future. Consumers still harbour concerns about pure electric vehicle range, affordability and relying on the nascent nature of the charging infrastructure in the UK, all of which can be addressed by PHEVs while these issues are resolved over time.

“In the interim, PHEVs can help both the industry and government make an immediate impact on climate change and air quality, especially in urban areas, and speed up the acceptance of electrified vehicles.”

Only 9% of petrol and diesel drivers surveyed by Mitsubishi said they considered an EV when choosing their current car, but 23% did consider a PHEV and more than a third (34%) would consider a PHEV as their next car - underscoring its potential as a transitional technology on the road to decarbonised transport.

The number of PHEV models available is accelerating rapidly, with the majority of major car brands now offering multiple models in their line-ups.

PHEV sales have grown by almost 60% year-to-date, now accounting for 3.3% of new car sales.

Volvo has been ditching petrol and diesel engines in favour of its ‘twin-engine’ PHEV models, while the likes of Ford, Jeep and Renault are introducing their first models to market this year.