60 Percent of Young Drivers Want a Hybrid Car

A majority of young people ranging in age from 21 to 30 years old would want to buy a hybrid vehicle over a conventionally powered gasoline car, according to Deloitte, a large global accountancy firm.

The age group, which is also known as “Echo Boomers,” “Generation Y” or “Millennials,” is comprised of 80 million consumers; that’s larger than the Baby Boomer generation. As a whole, Generation Y is more eco-conscious than preceding generations. Their size and growing financial independence means more carmakers will likely cater to the needs of this new group of car buyers.

Despite the interest in eco-friendly transportation, only 2% of respondents said they’d be interested in a purely electric vehicle. Six out of 10 said they’d want a hybrid. Furthermore, there’s a stronger interest in touch-screen interfaces and in-vehicle smartphone application tethering than there is for hybrids, says Deloitte.

Despite the enthusiasm — older shoppers also show a strong interest in alternative propulsions — hybrids have slipped in the automotive marketplace, according to the Detroit Bureau. Last year, hybrid sales were down 2.2%, at 268,807 units, while overall car sales went up 10.2%.

Millennials Want Hybrids — But May Not Buy Them (The Detroit Bureau)