Mobility Insights Report 2020: Drivers demand clean and green mobility in the New Normal

LeasePlan, together with leading global research firm Ipsos, today released the ‘New Normal’ edition of its annual Mobility Insights Report, assessing the impact of Covid-19 on mobility habits around the world.

The report not only shows that a majority of drivers now prefer the safety and comfort of their own car over public transport, but also that almost half of all drivers now want to switch to a zero-emission vehicle and play their part in tackling climate change and maintaining the improved air quality experienced at the beginning of the pandemic. The key findings of the New Normal edition of the Mobility Insights Report, which surveyed over 5,000 drivers in 22 countries, are:

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  Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, respondents across all 22 countries have become much less likely to use public transportation (65%), and more likely to use their own private car (76%)

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  Most respondents (79%) say the pandemic has made them more aware of the safety and comfort of having their own vehicle

  More than half of respondents (53%) say they take climate change more seriously as a global threat since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. For many (47%), this increased awareness has made them much more likely to switch to a zero-emission electric vehicle in the future in order to reduce their own carbon footprint and maintain the improved air quality experienced at the beginning of the pandemic

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  Since the beginning of the pandemic, respondents are more likely to use online shopping and opt for home delivery for discretionary spending (47%), bolstering demand for LCV and electric LCV (eLCV) delivery vehicles

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  Many respondents (47%) are worried about increased congestion and pollution from delivery vehicles post-Covid – but the solution is clear: a vast majority (61%) of delivery drivers are willing to share their LCVs with other businesses to reduce congestion, as well as switch to zero-emission electric LCVs (75%) to reduce pollution

Tex Gunning, CEO of LeasePlan, said:

“This report is a wake-up call for the industry: shared mobility and public transport is out, and safe and clean private transport is in. At the same time, drivers are more eco-conscious than ever, with nearly half ready to go electric and preserve the cleaner air we all experienced at the beginning of the pandemic. Policymakers in every one of the 22 countries surveyed need to listen up and respond to this demand by investing in long-term EVs incentives and charging infrastructure. Everyone should have the ability to go electric and play their part in making 2021 the greenest year ever for road transportation.”

Mark Lovett, Head of Commercial Vehicles, said:

“LCVs have never been more important: any retail company that wants to be successful in the New Normal will require a fleet of LCVs to meet the booming demand for online shopping and last-mile delivery. But this demand has to be met responsibly, and concerns about congestion and pollution from delivery vehicles need to be addressed. The good news is that OEMs are making more electric delivery vehicles than ever before, so in 2021 there’s no excuse not to swap the white van for a green van and make each and every delivery zero-emission.”