Survey Reveals ‘Greener’ Attitudes

Auto Trader study suggests we’re more green-minded and more likely to buy an EV than ever.

Has the pandemic made us more eco-conscious? Well, a study from Auto Trader seems to suggest so.

Over various lockdowns spanning the last year, we’ve heard a fair amount of news on how the Earth has actually benefited from our dormant period. Factories were closed or significantly reduced production, pollution from traffic, cruise ships and passenger planes was virtually eliminated and our general consumption of all things saw a net decrease.

Experiencing such a drastic change in lifestyle and the way we consume things has perhaps lead to a reflection on how we treat the planet we live on and a survey from Auto Trader has apparently seen results that reinforce that idea.

Around 2,000 Brits were surveyed and each was asked if they would consider taking up various sustainable behaviours such as cutting down on meat consumption and flying less. Even though saying you’ll do something is very different from actually doing it, the results still suggest that a lot of people are interested in being ‘greener’.

For instance, Auto Trader found that around two thirds (63%) of people surveyed were focussing on leading a more sustainable lifestyle. Roughly one in five (21%) say they are planning to ditch their combustion engine car for an electric car or alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) and around 60% of people who don’t currently own an EV or AFV think they will do in the next 5 years.

Moving onto food consumption, 30% of those surveyed also said they are planning to eat less meat and 29% said they would consider growing their own produce. About a quarter (24%) said they would try to fly less in the future, 37% plan on going paperless and 31% will use more renewable energy.

Commenting on the adoption of electric vehicles, Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto Trader said:

“The imposed extra time at home has meant potential car buyers have had more time to do their research on electric and debunk myths, particularly around range anxiety. Additionally, not being able to spend on holidays and other big purchases means some have more disposable income, making the price point more palatable despite the government’s recent cuts to electric grants.

“As we near the end of lockdown we predict that this trend will continue as the environment and overall sustainability remains high on the public agenda. The range of new electric cars on our site has risen by 74% since 2019 and with more car brands releasing electric vehicle models, higher competition among brands is likely to lead to greater accessibility.”

As reports of wildlife rejuvenating and air quality rising over the past year, perhaps Brits have become more environmentally aware over lockdown. Let us know what you think, in the comments.

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