The vast majority of Romanians would opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle, survey says

The second part of the 2021-2022 EIB Climate Survey explores people’s views on climate change in a rapidly changing world. The results from this release focus on citizens’ individual behaviour and the actions they are taking to combat climate change.

• 78% of Romanians feel they are doing all they can to fight climate change in their daily lives, but the majority believe that their compatriots are not doing the same
• 81% of Romanian car buyers say they will pick either a hybrid or electric car the next time they purchase a vehicle (14 points above the EU average), while only 19% would still opt for a petrol or diesel car
• 72% of Romanians say they consider climate change when choosing a holiday destination
• 56% of young Romanians consider climate change when looking for a job
• 57% of young Romanians already buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones

Hybrid or electric cars more sought after than petrol or diesel vehicles

When asked about future car purchases, 81% of Romanian car buyers say they would purchase either a hybrid or electric car. This figure is 62 points higher than the percentage of Romanians who said they would buy a diesel or petrol vehicle (19%). More specifically, 45% would purchase a hybrid vehicle and 36% would opt for an electric vehicle.

Meanwhile, 14% of the overall Romanian population say they do not have a vehicle now and are not planning to buy one (one point above the EU average).

With 81% of Romanian car buyers saying they would opt for a hybrid or electric vehicle, Romanians seem more inclined to switch to new car technologies compared to Eastern Europeans on average (71%), Bulgarians (76%), and Germans (52%).

More specifically, Romanians seem more inclined to choose hybrid vehicles, with 45% of car buyers stating their next car will have this type of engine. They seem more inclined to purchase a hybrid car than Bulgarians (40%), Eastern Europeans (42%) and Germans (29%).

Regarding electric cars, Romanians car buyers seem less inclined to opt for this type of car (36%), similar to Bulgarians (36%). Meanwhile, Eastern European (29%) and Germans (23%) appear to find electric cars less attractive than Romanians do.

In general, European car buyers tend to favour hybrid vehicles (39%), while petrol or diesel vehicles are ranked second (33%) and electric cars come third (28% state they would purchase an electric car). While Chinese car buyers are the most inclined to buy an electric car (44%), Americans would opt first for a hybrid vehicle (38%), followed by a petrol or diesel vehicle (33%), then an electric car (29%).

Climate protection versus flying for holidays

72% of Romanians say they consider climate change when choosing their holiday destination. This concern is even stronger amongst people younger than 30 (79%). However, almost half of young people (46%, compared to 31% for people aged 30-64 and 24% for people aged 65 and above) say they will fly for their summer holidays in 2022. Nearly one-quarter of them (23%, compared to 12% for people aged 30-64 and for people aged 65 and above) say they will fly to a faraway destination.

Shopping for clothes, choosing a job, deciding on a bank: how climate considerations affect people’s decisions

52% of Romanians say they buy second-hand clothes instead of new ones (10 points above the EU average). Women are more likely to do so than men (56% for women vs. 48% for men).

49% of Romanians consider climate change when searching for a job. This is particularly the case for 15-29 year-olds: 56% of them take climate change into consideration when job hunting, compared to 53% for people aged 30-64 (3 points lower).

Overall, 52% of Romanian people consider climate change when they choose their bank or invest their savings.

EIB Vice-President Christian Kettel Thomsen said: “Despite some clear generational gaps, Romanian people are increasingly adapting their mobility and consumption habits in a more sustainable manner to tackle climate change. These shifts in individual behaviour show that people of all ages are willing to make stronger commitments in their daily lives to help mitigate the climate crisis. These intentions were voiced during COP26 and are a clear indicator of support for our efforts to foster the green transition. As the EU climate bank, one of the EIB’s key roles is to finance innovative projects that focus on electric mobility as well as other sustainable mobility solutions that help build a decarbonised future for all.”