Alphabet mobility survey: Europe on the move

• Car ownership is still a priority across the board. On the whole, 78% are currently using their own car; at 85%, the share is highest in Italy
• 81% of drivers use additional forms of mobility besides the car. Public short- and long-distance transport boast the highest usage rates at 63% and 38%
• On the topic of future individual and shared mobility, almost one in two car users describes full-electric vehicles and hybrid cars as well as short and long-distance public transport with increasing relevance
• The complete survey can be downloaded here

We are currently living through a dramatic transformation of the mobility industry. Driven by a series of technological advancements and social trends, mobility solutions are constantly changing to create a connected transportation system that is more effective.

In August 2019, a survey conducted by Alphabet International, a global provider of Business Mobility, and Puls Marktforschung surveyed 2100 drivers across five representative European markets – namely Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the UK – about their mobility choices and expectations for the future of mobility.

Interviewees were asked about which forms of mobility they rated as the most important in the coming five to ten years, from carsharing, to electric solutions, autonomous vehicles and beyond.

Alphabet is a future-solution oriented provider of Business Mobility. With a growing portfolio of fleet vehicles on the road and products such as AlphaCity, the Corporare CarSharing solution and AlphaFlex, the mobility budget, Alphabet has mature and well-developed mobility solutions.

With a keen interest in the public perception across its many markets, this survey aims to identify what the current and future mobility trends and respective customer needs are.

Individual and shared mobility behaviour

In a fast-paced world of ridesharing and where micromobility options, such as e-scooters, seem to be around every corner of most major cities – with notable exceptions, such as the UK, where these are still banned – classic forms of mobility are still by far the most used.

The private car still holds first place

A new survey on the individual and shared mobility habits of motorists across Europe shows that car ownership is still a top priority for drivers, with 78% using their own vehicle. In Italy (85%) and Germany (81%), the private car ranks with the highest importance in regards to current mobility usage.

This is also reflected in the habits and views of motorists toward shared mobility and leasing. More than half of respondents (56%) listed a strong need to own their vehicle, with France (65%) and Germany (62%) ranking above average.

Public transport the most valuable additional mobility form

In addition to the car, however, 81% of drivers use additional forms of mobility in their day-to-day life. Motorists in Germany and Spain most frequently use additional forms of mobility and in all markets, public transport was rated as the most important additional form of mobility, with Spanish drivers (73%) using public transportation the most frequently.

Furthermore, the younger the interviewees, the more likely they are to make use of the public transport ticket provided by an employer, at 31% in comparison to drivers aged 36 and up (14%). This is perhaps unsurprising, considering that younger groups typically earn less and possibly may not be able to afford private vehicle. However, it also lends itself well to the argument that younger generations are willing to explore flexible solutions and move towards shared mobility, instead of strictly prioritising individual mobility.

On-demand solutions in an urban context

Urban cities are the ideal playground to test out new forms of mobility. But for the average driver, can these alternative modes of transport really entice them to ditch the personal car? Shared mobility encompasses everything from ridesharing to micromobility, bike rentals to carsharing, taxis and UBER.

Predictably, those who live in rural areas make the least use of on-demand solutions as they are simply not as readily available outside of major cities. However, even amongst those who live in cities, new on-demand solutions are not as popular as expected.

Interestingly, among the modes of transport that drivers use the most in addition to the car, taxis currently rank third in overall importance (32%), even though these are voted amongst the least important forms of mobility of the future (7%).

Other more modern on-demand mobility offers, such as ridehailing (e.g. UBER) and carsharing (e.g. ShareNow), on the other hand, are not as popular among drivers as perhaps expected. Carsharing ranked among the least prevalent additional mobility form, with only 5% of drivers overall using this service. At 7%, Italians were within the higher end of the bracket, whereas only 2% of British drivers use carsharing options.

When looking more closely at respondents based on age groups, there is a notable difference in opinions, with younger drivers being more open to shared mobility.

Rental bikes, for example, are significantly more popular with younger target groups. Of those aged 25 and under, 12% use rental bikes, whereas that number falls to 8% among those in the bracket 26 to 35 and that number drops even further with those between 36 to 50 (5%) and 51 and over (4%).

Ridesharing opportunities (e.g. Blablacar, Drive2Day) ranked relatively low across most markets, with the exception of France, where a significant 18% of drivers use these services. This mobility option is also significantly more popular amongst younger drivers. More than one in ten interviewees aged 35 and under (13%) use ridesharing services in comparison to only 5% of those over the age of 36.

Micromobility still in the early stages of adoption

E-scooters have certainly experienced a boom across urban cities worldwide, with the exception of the UK, but this mobility form is still very much in the early stages. Less than one out of ten drivers currently use e-scooters to bridge the last-mile gap.

The complete survey is availble here.

 

About Alphabet

Alphabet is a global leading provider of Business Mobility. As such, it enables companies to manage their corporate mobility in an economical and sustainable way. Founded in 1997 as a division of BMW Group, Alphabet has extensive knowledge of international fleet management and leasing. Its comprehensive portfolio includes consulting and funding as well as smart management products and services for company fleets. Alphabet’s Business Mobility solutions are tailor-made to meet specific corporate requirements. Today, Alphabet manages a portfolio of over 700,000 leased cars and light commercial vehicles of all makes and is ranked fourth in the market worldwide. Alphabet also pioneers the creation of Advanced Mobility Solutions: AlphaElectric offers companies a holistic approach to eMobility, AlphaCity is the efficient Corporate CarSharing option, the mobility app for smartphones, AlphaGuide, makes life easier for its users and AlphaFlex, the individual, flexible mobility solution, gives employees choices and companies full cost control and AlphaRent offers flexible rental solutions for short and long-term demands. Alphabet has its headquarters in Munich, Germany, and is now represented in 30 countries. For more information, please visit www.alphabet.com.