September 8th, 2023, Lesley Simeon
Are consumers optimistic about alternative fuels?
A recent YouGov survey polled consumers from 18 international markets about alternative fuels, like hydrogen fuel cells, biofuels, compressed natural gas and so on. Polling data reveals that more than a third (34%) of respondents agree that alternative fuels will become a popular choice over traditional fuels.
A quarter (25%) feel such fuels will replace traditional engines like petrol and diesel, while 24% of consumers are of the opinion, that alternative fuels will not become significant.
Consumers' take on alternative fuels, by country
Let’s first look at consumers who feel alternative fuels will either replace traditional engines or will become a popular alternative.
In the UAE, more than a third (36%) of consumers believe that alternative fuels will replace traditional engines - the highest proportion to say so, globally. Further, four in ten (40%) consumers here feel these fuels will become a popular alternative.
In India, over a third (35%) of consumers feel alternative fuels will replace traditional engines. A larger share of consumers (43%) are of the opinion that these fuels will become a popular alternative.
Great Britian reports equal proportions of consumers (30%) each who either feel that alternative fuels will replace traditional engines or they will become a popular alternative.
On the other hand, America accounts for the lowest share of consumers believing that alternative fuels will replace traditional engines (16%). Over a quarter (28%) feel alternative fuels will become a popular alternative.
Focusing on Asia, Indonesia leads markets in Asia with the highest proportion of consumers (53%) believing that alternative fuels will become a popular alternative to traditional fuel options. But less than two in ten (19%) consumers in Indonesia feel alternative fuels will replace traditional engines.
In Europe, nearly four in ten (38%) consumers in Poland feel alternative fuels will become a popular alternative, followed by Spain (35%) and Italy (32%). In Italy, over three in ten (31%) consumers think alternative fuels will replace traditional engines - the highest proportion of consumers in Europe to say so.
In the Nordics, the proportion of consumers who feel alternative fuels will replace traditional fuels or will become a popular alternative are quite similar in both Sweden and Denmark.
Europe has a less upbeat sentiment around alternative fuels.
Consumers in Europe are more likely than their Asian, Nordic and North American counterparts to say that alternative fuels will not become significant. Of this group, consumers in Germany (18%) are most likely to have this sentiment - perhaps unsurprisingly, given the country’s motor industry - followed by consumers in France (14%).
In Asia, with the exception of Hong Kong, the proportion of consumers who feel that alternative fuels will not become significant are in single digits. In Hong Kong, more than one in ten (15%) consumers say alternative fuels will not become significant. India records the lowest share of consumers (7%) in both Asia, as well as globally, who share the sentiment.
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 18 markets with sample sizes varying between 437 and 2045 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in June 2023. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.
Photo by Khamkéo Vilaysing on Unsplash