08/28/2008

• Automotive supplier Continental presents British results of an unprecedented study
• Consumer acceptance of hybrid vehicles is increasing – especially if there were government incentives
• More than one third of British drivers would like an emission-free, battery-powered car for urban traffic
• Seven out of ten British motorists travel on short routes and/or in urban traffic, providing significant potential for hybrid vehicles
• British knowledge of environmental friendly drive systems is weak compared to other surveyed countries

Hanover, August 2008. Electric cars and vehicles with hybrid drive enjoy remarkable interest among motorists worldwide – but the British are a little more restrained. A total of 30.2 per­cent (worldwide 36.0 percent) of those surveyed in Great Britain were willing to buy a car with hybrid drive and 37.1 percent (worldwide 45.8 percent) were interested in purchasing an electric car. Environmental considerations and increasing fuel prices were equally important motivators. These are the results of a representative survey – the first of its kind - carried out by the international automotive supplier Continental among more than 8,000 motorists in eight major international markets. "This trend holds great potential for us as an automotive supplier and provider of environmentally friendly drive technologies," said Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, Executive Board member and Chief Technology Officer of Continental AG.

Here you can download the press release as a doc-file.

Here you can download the graphic: "How many kilometres do you drive per year - short distance/long distance" as a jpg-file.

Here you can download an abstract of the British results of the study.

Earlier this year, German TNS/Infratest surveyed approximately 1,000 motorists each in China, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Japan, Austria, Switzerland and the USA on be­half of Continental AG. The study focused on the motorists' current state of knowledge and opinions of hybrid drive systems, their driving styles and their views on battery-powered cars. 1,001 British motorists in North East England, Yorkshire / Humberside, East Midlands, West Midlands, East England, London, South East England, South West England, Wales, Scot­land and Northern Ireland were asked.

60 percent of British motorists reported that increasing fuel prices have not forced them to change their driving behaviour in order to lower their fuel consumption – this was the highest percentage across all the surveyed countries.

"The vast majority of car drivers across those countries have realised that conventional fuels such as diesel and petrol will become even more expensive in the future," commented Dr. Neumann on the current developments at fuel stations. “In the near future all motorists will adjust their driving behaviour, when faced with increasing fuel costs – in the end the British have to as well.”

The upward trend in fuel prices is feeding greater interest in alternative drive systems, but the study indicates that awareness of such systems varies greatly around the world. About one in five motorists think immediately of hybrid drives, which combine a petrol and electric engine. The British, however, are not the only ones who need to catch up with only 3.9 per­cent aware of this type of drive engine. This places them lowest when compared to the inter­national response although overall awareness was low. Hybrid drives, which combine diesel and electric engine, are better known with 8.8 percent.

With 5.9 percent recognition across those surveyed, the pure electric drive comes in fourth joined by bio fuel. In comparison, the Austrians and French mentioned this variant more fre­quently than the hybrid drive at 33.3 percent and 31.7 percent, respectively. Other fuel-effi­cient drive systems such as diesel scored 12.2 percent and cars powered by liquefied gas 8.5 percent. When asked what they associate with hybrid technologies and hybrid drives, less than one-third (32.1 percent) of British motorists state that the drives are a combination of electric and combustion engines. Nearly one in seven (14.3 percent) referenced environ­mental and economic factors.

Hybrid drives present significant savings potential, especially in urban traffic. And it is in ur­ban traffic where the vast majority of motorists can be found each day: 87.9 percent of British motorists travel less than 30,000 kilometres a year, more than two thirds (70.7 percent) pri­marily in urban traffic. "Urban and short-route drivers can reduce their energy consumption by more than 25 percent using hybrid drives, while also reducing CO₂ emissions," stated Dr. Neumann regarding the advantages compared to conventional vehicles. “There is a tremen­dous potential for hybrid cars in the UK.”

A 30.2 percent of British respondents are interested and very likely to purchase a vehicle with hybrid drive but 42.9 percent will probably not and 17.3 percent will definitely not by a hybrid car. The majority of British motorists would be interested, though, if the government provided tax incentives for the purchase of hybrid vehicles.
More than two-thirds of the respondents (65.6 percent) said that they would then consider purchasing a hybrid car. This is the highest level across the other seven countries.

57 percent of British motorists (85.1 percent worldwide) assume that environmentally friendly hybrid drives have higher purchase costs compared to conventional cars. The British assume that there will be an average of EUR 3,969 (GBP 2,962) additional cost, but they also expect the greatest reduction in driving cost at EUR 6,608 (GBP 4,931). Americans, in contrast, be­lieve the purchase price to be EUR 2,801 (GBP 2,090) above that of conventional vehicles and expect cost savings of around EUR 2,364 (GBP 1,764). 55.9 percent of British motorists are not prepared to pay more for a hybrid vehicle. The other ones could envision investing up to EUR 2,799 (GBP 2,089) in a more environmentally friendly vehicle. "Our task is to high­light the additional benefits of alternative drives and to emphasize the added value for the motorist and the environment," said Dr. Neumann. The study also shows that attractive pur­chase costs are the strongest argument in favour of hybrid vehicles for 56.3 percent of British respondents.

The environment is the second most-important factor for most Europeans. Except for a mi­nority of respondents, Asians, Americans and British, in contrast, did not focus on this issue. "These results show that acting in an environmentally friendly way is also cost efficient," ex­plained Dr. Neumann. "The purchase cost alone should not be the decisive criterion and must be viewed long-term, especially where hybrid technologies and drives will bring signifi­cant savings for motorists who drive mainly in urban traffic." When asked about what inter­ested them about hybrid drive, motorists cited the lower fuel consumption on hybrid vehicles as the decisive criterion. 40.8 percent would opt for a hybrid with lower fuel consumption and better acceleration than conventional engines. "This is just where hybrid drives perform best and really stand out," said Dr. Neumann. Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of British motorists assumes that the purchase of a hybrid vehicle pays off after around three years.

The fast pace of development in lithium-ion battery technology – including contributions from Continental – is leading to increased interest in electric cars. 37.1 percent of British motorists could "definitely," "very likely" or "somewhat likely" see themselves buying a car designed for urban traffic that runs exclusively on battery power and produces no emissions at all. Their attitude would change (increasing up to 42.5 percent) if only those cars were allowed in city centres and if they were exempt from road tax and any charges.

The international automotive supplier Continental currently employs approximately 1,800 employees in Great Britain and produces callipers, oil and marine systems, industrial lines and hoses, powertrain and air spring systems, cockpit modules and in tank fuel delivery modules among other items at seven locations for well known industry customers. The Continental Tyre Group markets and distributes Continental’s tyre brands in the UK and Ireland.