The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted Irish attitudes towards cars rather than public transport, according to a report from Carzone examining trends in the motoring market.
Desire for car ownership has increased, with some 55 per cent of respondents in a survey of over 2,000 people in Ireland saying that owning or having access to a car was now more important to them as a result of the pandemic.
The report by the motoring marketplace also found that 65 per cent of non-drivers said the pandemic has encouraged them to learn to drive — with this number soaring to 83 per cent among those aged 18 to 24 years old.
Some 48 per cent of respondents also reported that they were less likely to use public transport, compared to before the pandemic.
Karl Connolly of Carzone said the report had highlighted some positive developments in the Irish motoring market owed to the pandemic.
“It seems we can take some positives from the past year, with a high number of non-drivers planning to learn to drive as a result of the pandemic,” he said.
“Openness to greener cars is also something we’ve highlighted, with 55 per cent of respondents claiming they plan to purchase an electric or hybrid car as their next car.”
While diesel remains the most popular engine type, with 54 per cent of respondents owning a diesel engine car and 38 per cent driving petrol-fuelled cars, the biggest increase in engine type owned by respondents was among hybrid or electric cars.
Hybrid or electric cars accounted for eight per cent of respondents, an increase of six per cent on the 2019 figure, while more than half of respondents said they plan to purchase an electric or hybrid engine car as their next car.
The Nissan LEAF was the most-searched electric car on Carzone in 2020, while the BMW 5 Series and Toyota C-HR were among the most searched hybrid models.
However, those concerned about the move to an electric or hybrid model cited concerns such as increased running costs (17 per cent), the lack of charging points (15 per cent) and range anxiety (15 per cent).
Awareness about the Government’s commitment to a green motoring industry has improved, with 60 per cent of people stating they are now aware of the Government’s goal to reach 100 per cent of all new cars and vans being electric vehicles by 2030.
44 per cent now feel that this is achievable — a significant increase from 16 per cent in 2019.
Carzone also reported that the pandemic has impacted car sales, with a third (36 per cent) of prospective car buyers putting their plans on hold.
However, 60 per cent of people said their car-buying budget has stayed the same or has increased since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to the report, 73 per cent of motorists change their car at least every five years. Borrowing funds to purchase a car remains popular with Irish motorists, as 47 per cent intend on using car finance to purchase their next car.
The report suggests that travel restrictions in place over the past number of months may have reduced running costs for motorists, with 53 per cent of respondents saying running costs decreased and only 30 per cent reporting an increase in mileage last year.
The Carzone Motoring Report, compiled by analysing data from the more than 81 million car views carried out on its website in 2020, also found that the most popular car model in Ireland is the Volkswagen Golf.
