2 days Ago By Zachary Shahan
Economist Impact has conducted a new survey on the mobility preferences of young people (18- to 30-year-olds) living in urban areas. The survey was commissioned by Nissan and included responses from 3,750 people in 15 global cities. Most of the respondents (57%) indicated that they would change their travel habits to reduce CO2 pollution.
That said, only 40% said they supported policies that making polluting sources of transportation (e.g., gas-powered cars) more expensive.
In emerging cities, 44% of respondents expected to be driving electric vehicles (EVs) within 5 years, while 31% of respondents in developed cities expected that. “Electric vehicles (EVs) emerge as the preferred mode of mobility; EV ownership among respondents is expected to climb from 23% today to more than 35% in the next decade,” Nissan noted , “reinforcing Nissan’s ongoing efforts in electrification and commitment to sustainable solutions to meet evolving needs.” “Unlike their counterparts in developed markets, residents of New Delhi, Manila and Riyadh see environmental concerns as an urgent, daily reality.
This urgency fuels interest in EV adoption, supported largely by government incentives,” Economist Impact added. “We believe in making mobility electrified and sustainable — it is a defining expectation shaping the future of transportation,” said Lavanya Wadgaonkar, Nissan’s corporate vice president of Global Communications. “This survey reaffirms the growing demand for electrification and the need to create more awareness, but long-term success hinges on making EV adoption seamless, practical, and cost-effective.
At Nissan, we leverage data-driven research and innovation to bridge gaps, ensuring that electrification is not just an option, but a core component of the mobility landscape.” Nissan was an early leader in EVs, with the Nissan LEAF leading EV sales for years. In fact, cumulatively, it was the top selling EV globally until the Tesla Model 3 exploded in sales and took the title.
However, Carlos Ghosn being pushed out of the company, Nissan then declined for years and seemed to neglect EVs in that timeframe. It has released the fully electric ARIYA, but while that model is moderately successful, it’s not a leader in any regard and isn’t setting the sales charts on fire. Perhaps Nissan is interested in regaining its leadership role in the field, though.
Maybe this is indeed all leading to something more. “For the ten-year outlook, EV ownership preference surged by more than 50%,” Nissan added. Naturally, whether looking at the 5-year outlook or the 10-year outlook, most CleanTechnica readers probably believe that these results are overly pessimistic and the market will electrify much more quickly.
But that’s how things go with tech transitions — people don’t think they’ll get the new tech anytime soon, and then they do. That said, it’s also important to take into account the cities where respondents were based. Those cities were Bangkok, Copenhagen, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mexico City, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Riyadh, São Paulo, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Toronto.
The reality is already vastly different in different countries, and thus cities. Plugin vehicles already account for more than 50% of new vehicle sales in China , while market share is just around 1% in some of the countries represented in this survey. I think it’s a bit hard to generalize when that is the case, but a “global” figure is always interesting to look at.
“More than 40% of survey respondents are excited about new EV technologies and recognized their potential to influence everyday life. Half of the respondents are aware that EVs can both power external devices as well as store excess renewable energy, as EVs evolve from being a transport device into a potential tool for energy management. Respondents in emerging cities displayed more enthusiasm for the application of EVs beyond mobility, such as using, sharing and transporting electricity during emergencies,” Nissan adds.
So, there’s a lot of awareness, but there’s also a lot of opportunity still to raise awareness. Not nearly enough people understand the basics of EVs and why they are often better for a consumer. CleanTechnica's Comment Policy LinkedIn WhatsApp Facebook Bluesky Email Reddit.
