Car buyers going green

Switching to a less polluting car is the number one reason drivers are planning to buy a vehicle this year.

This is according to new research from AA Cars.

It found that a third of those buying a new car and 24% of those buying used said switching to a less polluting car is their primary reason for changing vehicle in 2021.

The findings are borne out in official sales figures of second-hand vehicles from the first three months of 2021. According to the SMMT, sales of used electric vehicles grew 48.3% in the first quarter of the year compared to the same time in 2020, aided by the increased availability of pre-owned EVs. Sales of plug-in hybrid cars also grew 32.1%, and hybrid cars by 16.6%.

AA Cars’ research also found a 20% of drivers are planning to change car this year because they are bored of their current vehicle, while one in 10 need a bigger car.

James Fairclough, CEO of AA Cars, said: “The environment has become increasingly important to many people in recent years, but it is still surprising to see that the desire to drive a less polluting vehicle is now the number one reason drivers give for wanting to buy a car. With the government’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles now just nine years away, both the demand for, and supply of, EVs is improving fast. More EVs are now on sale than ever before, including on the second-hand market.”