Parents that have switched to electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid vehicles reckon their current cars are more effective in helping young children fall asleep than the previous petrol or diesel cars they have owned, according to a new survey.
Earlier this year, Citroën UK conducted a survey of 2,000 UK parents who drive and have babies or young children under five years of age.
Of those surveyed, 56.4% who own an electrified vehicle claimed their child found it either as easy or easier to nod off in their current car, compared to petrol or diesel models they had previously owned.
Just 11.9% said an electrified vehicle made it harder to get their children off to sleep, while 15.8% were unsure either way. Nearly half (44%) of all the parents surveyed answered that they had taken their child on a short car journey specifically to help them fall asleep.
The research also highlighted how effective using a car can be to help kids have a snooze, with the data showing that on average it takes a child 16-and-a-half minutes to fall asleep in a car, with 96% of parents saying their child typically falls asleep in 30 minutes or less.
The top factors that parents felt were most beneficial in helping babies and young children fall asleep on a car journey, were the gentle movements of the vehicle on the road (46%), a comfortable in-car temperature (41%) and a comfortable car seat (40%). More than a third of parents (34%) admitted they find a smooth drive to be the most important factor to help their child nod off.
Thinking of making the switch to electric?
Eurig Druce, Citroën UK’s Managing Director, added: ‘For new parents, getting their baby off to sleep is often a challenge. Taking a child for a short drive in a car is a tried and tested method for many parents, and our research shows it can help younger children fall asleep quicker than at home.
‘The smooth and silent drive from electric vehicles creates an even more calming environment for children and parents alike. Citroën is committed to offering an electrified variant of every vehicle in the range by 2025. So, everyone can rest assured, our models will continue to provide a calm and relaxing experience for the whole family for many years to come.’
Want to learn more about electric vehicles?
The Arnold Clark Innovation Centre is delighted to help highlight the great and ever-expanding line-up of EVs currently available.
The new £5 million site opened last year on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow’s West End with the aim of educating visitors about the benefits of alternative fuel vehicles and why they are becoming so important.
There are more than 60 vehicles on site available to test-drive, from plug-in and self-charging hybrids to fully electric vehicles, including the Volkswagen ID.4, Mercedes-Benz EQC, MINI Electric, Hyundai Kona, Kia e-Niro, BMW X2, and BMW i3.
As well as our two managers, there is a team of dedicated Innovation Centre product geniuses working at the centre. They all specialise in AFVs and are there to help customers on their journey towards electric.
For those thinking of switching to AFVs for their company, a business specialist will also be on site to help them make the most informed choice
There are no sales at the site, which is specifically an innovation, information, and educational centre.
While the centre is owned and operated by Arnold Clark, we’re working with the support of a number of organisations to make sure visitors can get all the facts about clean power and AFVs.
You can also learn about the different types of charging and generous government tax and grants available if you're thinking of moving to electric.
We have also recently launched a second Innovation Centre in Stafford, England.