Half of global car buyers plan to choose internal combustion engines, a 13-point jump as electric vehicle demand softens.

the new EY Mobility Consumer Index (MCI), a global survey examining sentiment and buying intent across major automotive markets, shows that a combination of range anxiety, charging gaps and geopolitics fuel growing hesitation towards electric vehicles. As the EU has diluted its ICE phase out, and the UK comes under pressure from the Conservatives to follow suit, the rise in taxes and reduction in incentives seems to be cooling the demand for switching.

EY believes that innovations such ad greater G2V systems will now be needed to reignite confidence in electrification as the EV ‘buzz’ fades. One in three potential EV buyers say they would participate in vehicle-to-grid services by feeding electricity back to the grid when needed, underscoring interest in solutions that enhance EV economics and reliability.

Constantin Gall at EY said: “The long-term trend appears to be a shift away from a purely electric (‘E-only’) approach toward a more diversified future for vehicle powertrains, with different vehicle technologies serving different customer needs. We are also seeing a more pragmatic, less ideological policy discussion. Policymakers are returning to a fact-based approach, allowing the market to do what it does best: identify the right solutions for different customers.”

The 2025 MCI shows a clear change in consumer intentions: Half of global car buyers intend to purchase an ICE vehicle in the next 24 months, an increase of 13 points from 2024, EV preference has fallen to 14 per cent, a drop of 10 percentage points, and hybrid preference has declined to 16 per cent, down five percentage points. Whilst 51per cent of prospective EV buyers say their plans remain unchanged, 36 per cent are reconsidering or delaying purchases due to geopolitical developments.

Regionally, the percentage of consumers who say they want to buy an ICE vehicle rose by 12 points in the Americas, 11 points in Europe and 10 points in APAC, while EV intent fell across all major markets.

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