Deloitte survey: Car buyers in Singapore prefer hybrid electric vehicles over fully electric vehicles

Key Highlights:

• Consumers in Singapore showed the strongest preference for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in Southeast Asia, with 31 percent planning to choose HEVs for their next purchase
• 67 percent of Singapore consumers intend to switch brands for their next vehicle, up from 63 percent a year ago, suggesting that factors other than brand name are influencing purchases
• Younger consumers are shifting away from vehicle ownership, as they show a stronger preference for Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) solutions
• Interest in AI technology and vehicle-smartphone connectivity is high, but safety concerns around autonomous driving systems remain

SINGAPORE, 22 September 2025 – Deloitte has released its 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study: Southeast Asia Perspectives report, which surveyed 6,029 consumers across six Southeast Asian countries, including more than 1,000 in Singapore. The report provides insights across four key areas: electric vehicle adoption, future buying intentions, shared mobility, and connectivity.

In Singapore, consumers demonstrated the strongest preference within the region for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) as their next car of choice. Most Singapore consumers also indicated plans to switch to a different brand for their next vehicle, reflecting the intense competitive landscape in the region. These findings highlight the need for stakeholders in the automotive ecosystem to adapt their strategies to keep pace with increasingly complex consumer demands.

“The automotive industry is a large-scale industry with complex and deeply rooted ecosystems. Once transformation takes hold, the impact will be significant and long-lasting. As such, efforts to adapt must prioritise consumer perspectives, demands and readiness as fundamental considerations. However, consumer behaviour is rapidly evolving, with buyers beginning to view vehicles not merely as long-term investment assets but as products that must address their current needs while accommodating frequent lifestyle changes. This signals a future where automobiles may increasingly transform into Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), characterised by rapid consumption and turnover cycles,” said Seongjin LEE, Automotive Sector Leader, Deloitte Southeast Asia.

Hybrid vehicles bridge the gap between fuel cost concerns and charging infrastructure availability

Across Southeast Asia, consumers continue to favour internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, with year-on-year increases in preference for such models in most markets across the region.

In Singapore, preference for ICE vehicles rose from 38 percent to 41 percent, while hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) held steady at 31 percent, compared to 32 percent last year. This places Singapore in the lead regionally in terms of consumer preference for HEVs.

The preference for HEVs over battery EVs (BEVs) may be due to a desire for a “best of both worlds” solution to balance the perceived advantages and disadvantages of EVs.

When asked about their top reasons for choosing an EV as their next car, Singapore consumers cited lower fuel costs (62 percent), government incentives (48 percent), and a lower need for maintenance (47 percent).

On the other hand, the report also highlights concerns about battery electric vehicle (BEV) adoption, chiefly the time required to charge (47 percent), followed by a lack of charging infrastructure (44 percent) and safety concerns with battery technology (40 percent).

When it comes to expectations for BEVs, 44 percent of Singapore consumers expect a single charge to deliver a driving range of at least 400 kilometres. In terms of the charging experience, consumers’ top priority is charging time (34 percent), followed by accessibility and ease of finding charging stations (15 percent).

Overall, these findings reflect a nuanced view of the pros and cons of EVs, and Singapore consumers’ preference for flexible solutions that address practical usage requirements.

Quality and performance over brand recognition

The survey suggests that brand loyalty is evolving among Singapore consumers. While 47 percent reported that their previous and current vehicles are from the same brand, 67 percent indicated that they intend to switch brands for their next purchase. This is up from 2024, where 63 percent of consumers said they intended to switch vehicle brands.

These findings align with regional trends, with 70 percent of consumers demonstrating a willingness to explore new alternatives. In Singapore, the three most influential factors that consumers prioritise are vehicle performance (62 percent), price (59 percent), followed by product quality (58 percent). These findings suggest that today’s consumers base their purchasing decisions on tangible vehicle value propositions over brand name.

Mobility-as-a-Service gaining momentum

The survey also indicates declining interest in vehicle ownership among younger consumers aged between 18 and 34 years old. Many are instead turning to alternative models, such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), to better meet their mobility and lifestyle needs.

Half (50 percent) of Singapore consumers are willing to give up vehicle ownership in favour of MaaS. Eighteen percent of Singapore consumers also said their mobility needs are addressed fully by MaaS as opposed to private vehicles – the highest proportion in the region.

When asked about their vehicle usage patterns, 26 percent of respondents said that they use their personal vehicles daily – the lowest percentage in the region. This could reflect the widespread availability and convenience of the city state’s public transport network, and may also explain why MaaS solutions are sufficient to meet the mobility needs of a growing number of consumers.

Technology and trust dynamics

Southeast Asian consumers broadly embrace convenience-enhancing automotive technologies. In line with this trend, most Singapore consumers (66 percent) view the addition of artificial intelligence in vehicle systems as beneficial.

Similarly, 65 percent of Singapore consumers consider vehicle-smartphone connectivity as important, underscoring its popularity. However, consumers in Southeast Asia are concerned about how future technologies will play a role in directly controlling driving functions.

The survey found that nearly half of regional consumers, including 48 percent in Singapore, are concerned about fully autonomous robotaxi services operating where they live. There is increased concern for commercial vehicles operating autonomously on expressways, with 61 percent of respondents in Singapore expressing unease.

For private and public-sector organisations planning autonomous vehicle initiatives, these findings highlight the need to pinpoint the root causes of consumer apprehension, and to engage the public accordingly to build trust and acceptance.

For more insights, the full 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study: Southeast Asia perspectives report is available at: https://www.deloitte.com/southeast-asia/en/Industries/automotive/perspectives/global-automotive-consumer-study-2025.html