MILANO. The majority of motorists prefer hybrid-electric models, enthusiasm for the battery-electric is waning and – after years of contraction – a moderate interest in traditional petrol and diesel models is returning. These are the main data emerging from Deloitte’s Global Automotive Consumer Study 2021, a research conducted annually that involves over 24,000 consumers spread across 23 countries around the world. “The high degree of precariousness of the economic situation helps to explain the turnaround in the preferences of Italian consumers”, explains Giorgio Barbieri, Automotive Sector Leader at Deloitte. “At the same time, however, it is important to underline that Italians remain strongly interested in electric mobility: in fact, hybrid-electric or plug-in models have recorded the greatest growth compared to the last edition of the report. In other words, the hybrid emerges as the ideal solution to gradually bring consumers closer to electric mobility even in times of uncertainty, combining economic benefits, environmental sensitivity, greater driving autonomy and ease of refueling, as well as list prices that are generally more advantageous than full-electric models “.
Among the main reasons indicated by Italian consumers to switch to electric, in addition to environmental sensitivity, economic factors dominate above all: first of all the prospect of saving on vehicle power costs, but also the possibility of taking advantage of incentives and economic benefits. and lower maintenance costs. On the other hand, there are two main factors that slow down the spread of electric models in Italy: on the one hand the lack of recharging infrastructures (29%), on the other the concerns about battery autonomy (27%). The “price factor” remains a decisive driver of choice, considering that the vast majority (73%) of Italians would not be willing to spend more than 30,000 euros for an electric car. Unlike the global average, Italians also show a strong interest in public charging stations (46%), confirming the need for new investments to upgrade the national infrastructure.
“Over the last few years, the connectivity systems on board vehicles have seen a strong acceleration in terms of sophistication, integration and development potential”, continues Barbieri. “But this technological evolution does not seem to fully convince consumers internationally. The share of those who consider greater connectivity on board vehicles to be positive is actually decreasing in almost all Western markets, such as the United States, UK, France and Germany. The Italians, however, are moving against the trend, revealing a notable openness to new technologies ”.
In Italy, in fact, 71% of consumers say they are in favor of the idea of vehicles increasingly connected with a clear difference compared to other Western markets, such as the United States (from 46% to 44%), UK (from 49% to 37%). %), France (42% to 36%) and Germany (36% to 33%). Less than one in two Italians is also concerned about the idea of potential cyber attacks that could jeopardize the safety of the vehicle and its passengers, the lowest percentage worldwide.
Once again, however, the real discriminating factor is the price: only a minority share would be willing to pay a premium price (400 euros or higher) to take advantage of advanced technologies for autonomy (45%), safety (38%). or the connectivity (28%) of the vehicle, perceived less and less as an option and more and more as a standard on board the new models. Both in Italy and abroad, the most popular technologies are those related to safety, such as automatic emergency braking systems (83%), lane departure warnings (66%) and blind spot detectors visual (66%).
But that is not all. Despite the acceleration in the development of the online channel induced by the health emergency, the Deloitte study reveals that for almost 8 out of 10 Italians the role of dealerships will continue to be central, while only 14% would choose to buy a car online. “Among the main reasons behind this preference for the traditional physical channel in the Automotive sector, Italians first cite factors such as the possibility of observing, examining and touching the vehicle before purchase, followed by the possibility of carrying out a test- drive and to personally negotiate the final price ”, adds Barbieri. “Furthermore, the importance of dealers as an essential point of contact between brand and customer is confirmed by the fact that, even among those who would like to buy a car online, the dealership’s website would still be the preferred channel to which they would turn. Finally, when it comes to assessing the degree of trust placed by consumers during their customer journey, it is always the dealership that emerges as a player capable of intercepting the greatest preferences and establishing the strongest loyalty bond with the end customer. “
It is no coincidence that two thirds of Italians declare that they place the greatest degree of trust in the specialized dealership for the sale (40%) or maintenance (27%) of the vehicle. Less than a fifth (17%) instead cite the direct relationship with the brand or manufacturer.
Last consideration: the post-Covid scenario has influenced future prospects and investment intentions. In Italy, about one third of the interviewees will postpone the purchase of the vehicle to times of greater economic security, while this figure is significantly lower in other European markets where greater optimism prevails (UK: 20%; France: 17%; Germany: 14% ). Almost one in two Italians say they will focus on a cheaper model than originally expected.
60% also said they spent at least an hour collecting information and comparing the different vehicle financing solutions.
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