Hybrids to rule within a decade
* Fleet survey puts hybrids as first choice * Just 5% think petrol will be dominant in 10 years * Diesel is fleet king for the moment...
Petrol engines could have had their day, according to a new survey of fleet drivers.
The study by leasing company Lex Autolease found that just 5% of drivers thought petrol-powered options would outsell other fuel types in 10 years' time.
The poll also found that 78% of drivers thought hybrid or electric vehicles would be the first choice a decade from now.
Lex Autolease consultant Chris Chandler said: 'Diesel has already overtaken petrol as the fuel of choice in the fleet sector, which is renowned for being an early adopter of new vehicle technologies.
'For the time being, diesel is king, but we are witnessing a shift in the market, with new developments coming to the fore.'
A fleet shift to hybrids and electrics on this scale would have a massive impact on their availability on the second-hand market. Lex Autolease has a fleet of more than 300,000 vehicles alone.
The Lex study follows other predictions by Mercedes that cars powered solely by petrol or diesel will have all but disappeared by 2050.
