Survey: Nearly half of Estonians would opt for electric or hybrid car if possible

TALLINN - A survey commissioned by Moller Baltic Import reveals that 43 percent of the people polled in Estonia would prefer to buy either a fully electric or hybrid car.

Of the 700 people surveyed, 70 percent considered low fuel consumption important when buying a new car, Moller reported. There are slightly more women -- 45 percent -- who would buy a fuel-efficient car compared to men, of whom 41 percent would do so. The proportion of those who prefer a fully electric or hybrid car is highest among 40-49-year-olds at 50 percent.

"Consumer preferences are consistently shifting towards electric cars," Kristjan Salak, sales manager of Moller Baltic Import in Estonia, said adding that this is supported by the increasing number of charging stations and by the growing driving range of electric cars.

According to Moller's data, more fully electric Volkswagen models have been sold in the Baltic states this year than in total last year, for example.

Nearly a fifth of the respondents drive a car that is up to five years old, but in Tallinn this percentage is higher, at 30 percent, and as expected, in rural areas, it is lower at 17 percent. The age of cars starts to increase among users aged 60 and over.

The nationwide web survey was commissioned by Moller Baltic Import and carried out by pollster Norstat, with responses from 700 car owners aged 18 and over.