Although electrified vehicles have gained ground in Brazilians' purchasing plans, they face significant financial barriers at the time of purchase. A study conducted by Radar Autos, based on data from OLX Autos, indicates that 29% of consumers searching for cars on the platform are willing to consider an electric or hybrid model.
However, in practice, these types of vehicles accounted for only 3% of used and pre-owned car sales reported by OLX users. This imbalance increased throughout the year: the intention to buy hybrids grew from 9% to 23% since January, while the intention to buy electric vehicles rose from 5% to 8%.
In actual completed transactions, hybrids appeared with 1% and electric vehicles with 2%, considering all energy sources, including ethanol, CNG, and diesel. The price and quality guarantee of pre-owned electrified vehicles remain the biggest impediments to their market sale, indicating that the difficulty lies more in purchasing power than in interest.
The rapid turnover of these cars suggests that demand exists. Models such as BYD Dolphin, BYD Yuan Plus, and Toyota Corolla are frequently advertised for short periods on the platform, signaling immediate demand once the cost-benefit becomes attractive.
Flávio Passos, Vice President of Autos at Grupo OLX, commented that the data shows a consumer who is attentive to sustainable technologies but faces difficulties due to a still high average purchase price. He emphasized that the used and pre-owned market functions as the main entry point for these drivers, and the quick turnover of electrified vehicles confirms that repressed demand is met when prices decrease.
Due to budget constraints, the purchasing decision tends to be pragmatic. Flex vehicles dominate used and pre-owned sales, concentrating 60% of the market. Following them are gasoline cars, with 26%, and diesel cars, with 8%. The brands Volkswagen, Chevrolet, and Fiat rank at the top of the best-selling list.
This same pragmatism is visible in the choice of older vehicles. In the nine to 12-year and over 13-year usage intervals, hatchbacks and sedans concentrate the majority of searches in all regions of the country, with a preference for low-maintenance models, such as Volkswagen Gol and Chevrolet Celta. In the pre-owned segment, the 2019 Chevrolet Onix was the best-selling car across the five Brazilian regions during the analyzed period.
Caution also influences color choice, with white, silver, and black being the most sought after in all regions. Together, these colors account for more than two-thirds of the demand, a preference linked to the vehicle's ease of resale.
Radar Autos compiled information from searches and sales registered on the platform between August 2025 and July 2026, supplementing this with a quantitative survey conducted online with 1,382 users who searched for automobiles on OLX in the second quarter of 2026.