[NEWS] The car market study: Romanians eager for EVs

A study conducted by Ipsos Romania shows that 80% of participants have the desire to purchase e-vehicles and the main reason is related to reducing the pollution.

A study conducted by the market research company Ipsos Romania shows that 80% of participants say that have a positive attitude towards the desire to purchase electric vehicles, in a higher proportion than the European average of 61%. Two thirds of the Romanian drivers interviewed mention that their opinion has become more favorable to electric cars in the last 3 years. According to the same study, 75% of respondents believe that the high price is the main barrier in purchasing an electric car. In addition to this, another problem in the way of switching to green mobility would be the small number of public charging stations. In Romania, 9 out of 10 people stated that this limited number is an impediment in the purchase of electric vehicles. Furthermore, 41% of study participants are reluctant to purchase a clean energy car due to the low range.

This positive attitude, at a declarative level, is also visible when it comes to the acquisition intention: 42% of the Romanians who responded to the study concluding that their next car will most likely be an electric vehicle. In order to encourage the purchase of electric means of transport and to contribute to the automotive fleet renewal, the Environmental Fund Administration offers to those who scrap their old and polluting vehicle a voucher worth between 4.200 - 9.200 Euro that can be used to purchase a new electric or hybrid vehicle. Moreover, another additional measure was implemented in our region by Bucharest City Hall through which vouchers worth 1.900 Euro were offered to the residents who bought new electric vehicles.

In the context of increasing awareness of pollution and air quality issues, the main reasons why drivers would be willing to buy an electric car are related to decreasing the fuel costs and reducing the pollution – CO2 and NOx, that was mentioned especially by the respondents from Romania: 61% compared to the study average of 43%.

The study was conducted online in 2019, among 3877 citizens, respecting the national demographic distribution by age and gender in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, United States, Sweden and Turkey.