More than a half of UK car buyers planning to buy or lease a new car in the next two years are considering an electric or hybrid vehicle, according to new research published last week by the Institute of the Motoring Industry (IMI).
Concerned by the recent diesel emissions turmoil, a massive 53 percent of UK car buyers are now considering buying a hybrid or electric car.
The survey polled 2,000 car owners, and the results are a significant boost to carmakers who have focused their main efforts on hybrids and electric vehicles for years.
However the IMI is raising concerns about skill shortages and the lack government regulation covering hybrid and electric vehicle maintenance and repair, with just 2 percent of qualified mechanics able to do so.
IMI is calling on the government to address the skills shortage with a proactive apprentice recruitment program to help industry to bridge the skills gap. It also wants Ministers to introduce a license to practice for technicians working on electric and hybrid vehicles in similar way it regulates vehicle air conditioning maintenance and repair to protect the driving public.
IMI CEO, Steve Nash said, “We have always expected demand for electric and hybrid vehicles to increase gradually over time as the cars become more sophisticated and the public become aware of their quality, the level of demand shown in this survey is astonishing and requires a response from Government.
We need a license to practice for technicians to reassure the public and to protect the employers who invest in the skills required to take care of the next generation of vehicles and their owners. We will be seeking and urgent meeting with ministers as a matter of urgency.”
[source: Institute of the Motoring Industry]
