Rising fuel costs are changing how Europeans choose their cars. In Central Europe, hybrids offer a middle ground between petrol, diesel and fully electric vehicles.

For Daniella Liskova in Slovakia, the switch from a petrol car to a hybrid came down to fuel savings.

"Before, I was paying monthly 150 [Euros] for gas. And today, with this car, with the hybrid, it is like 50 monthly," Liskova says. That's a drop from around $170 per month to around $56. 

Her Toyota C-HR uses petrol and electric power. Its battery recharges as she drives, so she does not need an external charging station.

"The battery that is charging itself, combined with the gasoline, is more useful," she says.

Peter Bezuch also chose a Toyota Corolla full hybrid. He says the savings at the pump were a key factor. But he also cites the environmental benefits.

"You are also contributing to, let's say, climate protection or you are being responsible to the environment," Bezuch says.

Fuel prices are adding to the pressure on drivers. In Slovakia, petrol prices have risen about 25% since February, while diesel prices are up 31%.

For Pavel Elsig, the rising cost of fuel helped prompt a move to an electric car.

"I used to drive a Skoda Fabia petrol car and with the gas prices going up… I drive a lot, so I was thinking the prices will only go higher," Elsig says.

The shift toward hybrids is reflected in registration figures. Across the European Union, conventional hybrids accounted for 34.5% of new car registrations in 2025. Plug-in hybrids represented another 9.4%.

Plug-in hybrids combine an electric motor with a petrol engine. Drivers can charge the battery for shorter trips and use petrol for longer journeys.

The BYD Seal U DM-i, from Chinese automaker BYD, offers this combination. Adam Weisenpacher, sales manager at MAH BYD, says the technology can help drivers adjust to electric mobility without range concerns.

"So I think the most attractive thing about plug-in hybrids in Europe is that people have the flexibility to, first of all, get to know what owning an electric car is like," Weisenpacher says. "But at the same time, they don't have to worry about the range."

Matus Torac switched to a BYD plug-in hybrid. He said its running costs and driving range of up to 1,000 kilometers made it an appealing choice.

"If you have the opportunity to charge it somewhere, you will basically drive your daily commute for like three euros to five euros," Torac says – that's around $3.30 to $5.60. 

Naturally, he compares it to the fossil-fuel cost: "I have many, many friends and many people around me who are spending like 300, 400 or 600 euros on petrol or diesel a month." That's $337 to $675.

For drivers across Central Europe, the choice depends on cost, range and charging access. Hybrids offer one route away from petrol and diesel, without requiring a full commitment to electric driving – and while the cost of fossil fuels remains high, the pull to hybrids will only increase.