Brazilians want electric or hybrid cars, but when buying they choose flex

Electrified vehicles have already gained space in the purchase plans of Brazilians, but they still bump into their pockets when it comes to closing a deal. A survey by Radar Autos, a study by Data OLX Autos, shows that 29% of consumers looking for cars on the platform consider buying an electric or hybrid one. In practice, however, these models accounted for only 3% of used and used car sales declared by OLX users.

The mismatch has been accentuated throughout the year. Since January, the intention to purchase hybrids has jumped from 9% to 23%, while that of electric vehicles has risen from 5% to 8%. In the transactions actually concluded, however, hybrids appear with 1% and electric vehicles, with 2%, considering all fuel options, including ethanol, CNG and diesel.

According to the survey, the price and quality assurance of electrified used cars continue to be the main obstacles to commercialization in the secondary market. The barrier, therefore, is less of interest and more of pocket.

When the price drops, the electrified disappears from the ad

The speed at which these cars change owners indicates that the demand exists. BYD Dolphin, BYD Yuan Plus and Toyota Corolla are among the models that spend less time advertised on the platform, a sign that there is immediate demand whenever the cost-benefit becomes competitive.

“The data reveal a consumer who is attentive to clean technologies, but who comes up against a still high average ticket,” says Flávio Passos, vice president of Autos at the OLX Group. According to him, the used and used car market is the main gateway for these drivers, and the rapid turnover of electrified vehicles shows that the pent-up demand responds immediately when prices fall.

Flex maintains dominance and Onix 2019 leads sales

With the budget dictating the pace, the choice remains pragmatic. Flex models lead the sales of used and used cars by far, concentrating 60% of the market, followed by gasoline cars, with 26%, and diesel cars, with 8%. Volkswagen, Chevrolet and Fiat appear at the top of the ranking of best-selling brands.

The same pragmatism appears among older vehicles. In the nine to 12 age groups and 13 years or more of use, hatches and sedans concentrate most of the searches in all regions of the country, with emphasis on cheaply maintained models, such as Volkswagen Gol and Chevrolet Celta. Among the used cars, the Chevrolet Onix 2019 was the best-selling car in the five Brazilian regions in the period analyzed.

Caution is also reflected in the choice of color. White, silver and black lead the searches in all regions and, together, account for more than two-thirds of the demand — a preference associated with the vehicle’s liquidity at the time of resale.

Radar Autos gathered search and sales data recorded on the platform between August 2025 and July 2026, as well as an online quantitative survey with 1,382 users who searched for cars on OLX in the second quarter of 2026.