One of the biggest barriers to British drivers making the switch from petrol or diesel engines to hybrid is that buyers don’t have the necessary knowledge to make an informed decision.

The news comes following a poll conducted by Honda of 1,000 drivers, with 68 per cent saying they don’t have enough understanding about electrified vehicles to buy one. The research also found that the average car buyer might take 13 months to decide whether they want to purchase a hybrid before going ahead with the deal.

The Honda research also showed that there is a clear distinction between different sectors of society, with 33 per cent having already bought an EV because they liked cutting-edge technology, compared to 57 per cent who preferred the familiarity of a petrol or a diesel.

But with climate change and the road to carbon zero grabbing more and more headlines, it is clear the environment is sure to play a huge factor in driving people to buy more clean and green vehicles. Half of those surveyed said they considered themselves an environmentalist due to them owning a hybrid.

Honda partnered with Warwick Business School in publishing the research, with behavioral scientist, Ivo Vlaev saying: “This research helps us understand why some people who are convinced of the benefits of a hybrid make the switch, whereas others do not. Some of us are generally more open to try new things than are others; or have a strong sense of identity as someone who is knowledgeable about cars and enjoys driving.

“Those characteristics of being open to try new things and cars being part of our sense of identity are associated with making the switch to a hybrid. Indeed, most current hybrid owners (61 per cent) say that they find joy in driving.”

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