A new study by Kia has revealed just how much people have changed their driving habits to save money in the face of a cost of living crisis.
The research, conducted by OnePoll among 1,200 drivers, found a whopping 74% of respondents are now ‘using their car differently to save money’.
A third - 31% - have changed their driving style to try and slash their fuel costs. Those tactics involved things like ‘accelerating less often’ and ‘keeping to a lower speed’.
More young people - 54% of those aged between 18 to 24 - were driving economically compared to older motorists, with just 26% of those aged between 55 and 64 going easier with their right foot.
Meanwhile fuel costs appear to be having an impact on folks’ social life - with 25% of respondents saying they’d ‘cut back’ on journeys to see family and friends.
That trend is highest among Londoners (35%), with those in Northern Ireland the least likely to say they have reduced this type of trip by car (11%).
A further 19% of those surveyed said they’d ‘cut their spending on non-essential items’ so they can continue to use their car as normal.
Interestingly, the lure of electrified powertrains also appears to be growing.
The Kia survey found that 52% of motorists who currently have a petrol or diesel car were either ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to switch to an electric or hybrid vehicle when they next make a swap. Swapping to electric can take some research, which is why we've got a collection of guides on everything you need to know about electric vehicles.
A Kia spokesperson says:
“Of those likely to change to an electric or hybrid vehicle, an equal number (42%) would choose a hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicle as those who would choose a battery electric vehicle, while 8% reported no preference.”
That stat backs up what the industry is saying.
According to Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), demand for pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) increased by 56% from January to June 2022 compared to the year before.
EVs and plug-in hybrids combined represented 1 in 5 of all car registrations during the same period.
Sanka De Silva, Marketing Director at Kia UK, adds:
“During these challenging times for many UK households, our survey highlights how drivers are changing their driving and wider purchasing habits to be more considered with their income.”
If you are weighing up the pros and cons of going electric, take a look at some of our EV guides, which cover hot topics like charging, range, and the cheapest electric cars to lease in 2022.
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