Hybrid and electric cars are now winning over the majority of drivers. Almost nine in ten Italians say they are ready to switch to green powertrains, even though cost remains an important variable alongside a degree of scepticism linked to range and charging infrastructure (for electric vehicles), as well as a limited familiarity with modern technologies. The data emerge from the survey "Vetture ibride ed elettriche, cosa ne pensate?", conducted in November by strategic consultancy firm Areté. Helped in part by the government's incentive scheme, in October the share of these vehicles in total registrations exceeded 25 per cent: a genuine boom driven in particular by a broad and diversified range of hybrid solutions.

Hybrid and electric cars: less pollution and more savings

The snapshot of consumers' purchasing intentions reveals that more than nine in ten say they are ready to buy hybrid vehicles, and almost 87 per cent to choose electric cars. In both cases the main stated reason for purchasing is the desire to pollute less, followed by a range of economic benefits: savings on fuel (for 33 per cent of the sample), use of incentives (13 per cent), the possibility of not paying road tax (5 per cent), lower maintenance costs (5 per cent) and not having to pay for parking in paid zones (3 per cent).

Two in three Italians are also willing to pay up to 10 per cent more than for traditional vehicles. When it comes to purchasing methods for low-environmental-impact cars, there is a growing tendency to follow less traditional channels that make it possible to overcome various potential difficulties — from maintenance to second-hand resale — associated with running such vehicles: more than half of respondents say they are ready to take out financing, 15 per cent intend to make use of the growing range of solutions offered by rental companies, and 6 per cent are considering signing a leasing contract.

The test drive: decisive for going ahead with a purchase

The number of sceptics regarding these technologies is falling sharply, although reservations persist around high list prices and, in the case of electric cars, around range and uncertainty about where to charge them. There is also a broader issue linked to a low level of knowledge of electric and hybrid engines from both a practical and theoretical standpoint: only 32 per cent of respondents have driven a hybrid car at least once, a figure that drops to 23 per cent for electric vehicles; at the same time, half of the sample has little or no knowledge of the characteristics of hybrid engines or the difference between a full, mild or plug-in hybrid.

"The data from our survey," explains Massimo Ghenzer, president of Areté, "highlight a market that is ready for the hybrid-electric shift, even though awareness of the various types of hybrid vehicle remains low." To overcome certain reservations and proceed to purchase, the test drive proves decisive: nine in ten potential buyers consider a test drive determining in reaching a purchase decision, and to that end they are prepared to visit a dealership (88 per cent) or to have one arranged at their home address (12 per cent). "In order to effectively promote the uptake of these vehicles in our car fleet," Ghenzer concludes, "it will be necessary to substantially revise and expand the incentive policies for these vehicles."