Nissan recently commissioned a survey that focused on the future mobility choices of young city dwellers – and found that more than half would be willing to change their travel habits to reduce their carbon footprints.
The findings, based on the responses from 3,750 participants across 15 global conurbations, were clear in confirming the younger generation’s preference for electric vehicles, reinforcing Nissan’s efforts in electrification and its commitment to sustainable transport solutions to meet evolving needs.
The survey – carried out by the think tank Economist Impact – found that the majority (57 per cent) of young city residents would be willing to change their travel habits to reduce their carbon footprints with those in “emerging cities” seeing environmental concerns like pollution as urgent when making their mobility choices.
Electric vehicles (EVs) emerged as the preferred mode of mobility. EV ownership among those who responded to the survey is expected to climb from 23 per cent today to more than 35 per cent in the next decade.
Enthusiasm was strongest in emerging cities, with 44 per cent envisioning themselves driving an EV in the next five years, compared to 31 per cent in developed cities.
Younger urbanites also revealed high levels of interest in innovations such as energy storage, alternative fuels and vehicle-to-everything (V-to-X) technology, with more than 40 per cent indicating that these technologies will influence their mobility choices.
Ritu Bhandari, Asia-Pacific Sustainability Lead at Economist Impact, said: “This research explores how younger generations envision the future of mobility – an essential perspective, as their choices will directly shape the evolving mobility landscape.
“Our findings reveal that for sustainable mobility to succeed, cities need to balance environmental goals with real commuter priorities like affordability, convenience and inclusivity.
Accessible network
“Achieving this requires flexible, multimodal solutions that seamlessly integrate public transit, electric vehicles, shared mobility and active transport into a connected, accessible network for all residents with diverse needs.”
Lavanya Wadgaonkar, Nissan’s Corporate Vice President of Global Communications, said: “We believe in making mobility electrified and sustainable – it is a defining expectation shaping the future of transportation.
“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.”