London, 19 December 2018:

Sophus3’s unique analysis of online activity on, and between, virtually all car brands’ websites in the UK has revealed some shockingly good statistics that highlight the growth in electric car consumer interest and the differences in how electric car considerers behave online.

Sophus3’s analysis of over one billion digital interactions on car brand websites in 2018 shows that electric cars, which Sophus3 defines as pure and hybrid electric cars, are now clearly established as a defined segment. Electric cars are the 4^th most searched-for range of models in the UK, and more popular than the established segments of sports cars, city cars and midsize executives. With 5.44% of all visits in 2018, electric cars still fall short of the top three segments, compact, supermini and SUVs. SUVs represented an incredible 37.48% of all automotive model online activity in 2018.

Sophus3’s analytics don’t simply show how many automotive website visitors are viewing the various car segments, but also how potential electric car buyers behave online; a crucial insight if car brands with a growing electric car range are to exploit the increased interest in electric cars.

Sophus3 has found that electric car considerers spend over 33% more time on model pages than traditional car researchers. And those booking a test drive request are spending an incredible 70% longer on the model page of their choice than for a traditional car test drive request.

Scott Gairns, Sophus3, Managing Director, said: “We all know that electric car interest is growing, and it’s clear from our analysis that as a segment it is now more popular for online research and interest than sports cars, city cars and even midsize executive cars. But for car brands to exploit this growing interest, it is vital to understand how potential car buyers behave when on electric car sites, what they are looking for and where they have come from. Our access to virtually all car brands’ online platforms in the UK and Europe provides this vital intelligence that could define the electric car market in the coming years.”

“If electric car adoption is to integrate with the current imbalance between consumer, political and industry demand and challenges, then understanding how potential electric car adopters are searching, and what information they are searching for, is vital.”

Sophus3’s electric car analysis in 2018 shows Nissan and its UK-built Leaf as the stand-out performer in the segment. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV comes in a very strong second, followed by the VW e-Golf, with the remaining electric cars in Sophus3’s analysis of top ten performers indicating strong interest in car brands’ bespoke electric offerings over straightforward electric versions of existing ICE cars.

About Sophus3

Sophus3 is a London-based multi-national team analysing all volume and premium car brands’ web traffic in Europe, providing insight, analysis, advice, tactics and tools that enable car brands to better facilitate online consumer journeys.

The company was founded in 2002 with the ambition to build a collaborative online analysis platform for car brands in order to help brands understand consumer demand and market better to consumers increasingly researching cars online.

As Europe’s only automotive technology company analysing online activity on behalf of all European-based global car brands’ websites, Sophus3 provides quarterly (AMI) market reports providing a comprehensive picture of consumer online behaviour on and between car brand digital platforms, whitepapers such as “The end of the ICE age? – Digital insights into the electric vehicle buyer” and an annual automotive insights forum and report “The digital car buyer in numbers”:
https://www.sophus3.com/2018/01/11/the-end-of-the-ice-age/

https://www.sophus3.com/2018/02/22/the-digital-car-buyer-in-numbers-2018/

+44 20 7403 7777
www.sophus3.com
Press Contact: Mark Harrison
07584564253 | mark.harrison@imprimatur.co.uk

Sophus3, 1 Pear Place, London SE1 8SB, UK
UK Company Registration Number: 4321366 | VAT Number: GB 785 6564 73