Used vehicle database Cazana finds that UK motorists are still not deterred from diesel, despite the media frenzy that followed the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.
Ongoing concerns over emissions, impending scrappage schemes, and outright bans are failing to deter UK motorists from diesel vehicles. That’s according to findings from the UK’s used vehicle database, Cazana, which has revealed that listings for used diesel vehicles have remained relatively in line with expectations when compared to petrol listings, throughout the past 18 months.
Whilst many would have predicted a rise in listings for second-hand diesel vehicles in the immediate aftermath of Volkswagen’s Dieselgate scandal, this has not been the case. In fact, diesel listings have remained consistently below petrol listings, except for in May 2017 – coincidentally, when the UK government first announced plans for a diesel scrappage scheme. However, numbers quickly fell thereafter.
Listings for alternative fuel vehicles, however, have increased. In the past six months alone, Cazana has witnessed a surge in the number of used hybrid petrol vehicles being listed on its site. In contrast, pure electric and hybrid diesel used car listings have remained consistent.
These statistics have been revealed during a time that the efficiency of plug-in hybrids is coming into question. It is widely speculated that plug-in hybrids return high fuel consumption and emissions, and may not be the efficient alternative to diesels that the industry had hoped.
Tom Wood, founder and CEO of Cazana, said that these figures demonstrate that diesel vehicle drivers are refusing to be turned off by negative connotations and ongoing media speculation. Instead, the used car market is behaving as close to normal as expected, with diesel and petrol vehicles being listed for sale at equal rate.
Tom commented: “The future of diesel is still relatively uncertain in the UK, and drivers are not flocking to sell their diesels to the used car market, in favour of a more sustainable option. However, hybrid petrol vehicle listings are growing, indicating that motorists are continuing to take baby steps towards the fully electric vehicle.
“Our data does not indicate that Britain’s roads will be saturated with electric vehicles in the next few years, nor does it show that motorists are in a panic to rid themselves of diesel vehicles, despite the future of this fuel type remaining under speculation.”
