41 per cent of Irish buyers will go for a hybrid or fully-electric model for their next purchase, new research from Toyota Ireland has shown.
According to Toyota's research, which 3Gem carried out in October, 29 per cent of buyers will opt for hybrid electric next time out, and 12 per cent for fully electric. Just 22 per cent plan to buy a petrol car for their next vehicle, 15 per cent will go diesel, and 19 per cent are unsure of their next move.
A major shift in the market
Current figures from SIMI (the Society of the Irish Motor Industry) show that 30 per cent of all Irish buyers bought petrol-engined cars in 2023, with 22 per cent choosing diesel, 18.5 per cent choosing electric, 18.5 per cent choosing hybrids, and eight per cent choosing plug-in hybrids. If Toyota's figures are borne out in 2024, it would represent a significant shift in the market.
The desire for hybrid power has pushed Toyota to the top of the Irish sales charts in 2023 as the best-selling brand with more than 16,000 sales to date.
Toyota wants to lean into that success, and so for 2024 it's preparing a new 'Make The Move' campaign to encourage the drivers of the 1.4 million diesel-engined cars still on Irish roads to switch to a hybrid-engined Toyota. According to Toyota, the advertising campaign will include: "Distinctive Irish cues and landmarks, and the narrative centres around the happiness and freedom which comes from driving hybrid - whether that's the confidence of driving with no need to plug in, or the pure joy brought by driving hybrid electric, knowing that you have made a move towards more sustainable motoring."
Price above all
Toyota's survey of Irish buyers included some other interesting figures, such as that we still buy on price, above any other consideration. Per Toyota: "The top three considerations for Irish drivers are price (60 per cent), followed by fuel efficiency (48 per cent) and the size of the car (32 per cent). Surprisingly, given the current climate situation only 14 per cent chose environmental impact as their top consideration falling behind driving comfort (15 per cent) engine size (16 per cent) and appearance (22 per cent)."
The survey further showed that of those thinking of buying a hybrid as their next car, 58 per cent cited lower running costs as the primary reason for switching, 57 per cent said that it's better for the environment, and 43 per cent agreed with the idea that they will save money in the long run compared to a petrol or diesel model. Toyota Ireland's sales are currently 90 per cent made up of hybrid-engined cars, and according to the company these vehicles "are playing a vital role in helping people move away from diesel vehicles, thanks to their affordability, accessibility, and added convenience of not having to plug in to charge. Moving to hybrid electric vehicles from petrol or diesel also has an immediate effect in reducing CO2 and NOX emissions."
Fully-electric power
The survey also looked at making the switch to fully electric power and found that 60 per cent of respondents are concerned about the price of EVs, while 47 per cent are concerned about the lack of charging points. Long-distance range still vexes 44 per cent of buyers, while 37 per cent are put off by what they consider to be long charging times. Toyota reckons that the majority of these issues may well be a thing of the past thanks to recent news about its forthcoming next-generation EVs including solid-state battery technology, which is expected in 2027-2028 and will ultimately see BEV ranges boosted up to a claimed 1,200km on a single charge and zero to 80 per cent charging in just 10 minutes.
Commenting on the research findings, Zoë Bradley, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Toyota Ireland said, "This new nationally representative survey of Irish car drivers once again underlines the pivotal role that hybrid electrics are playing in Ireland's move to more sustainable, electrified motoring. We are heartened to see the majority of Irish drivers planning on making the move to an electrified model for their next car purchase and are proud to be leading the charge in developing a solution that will address the mass market concerns with full battery electric and significantly help us on our way to zero emissions motoring in the not too distant future."