The future market for hybrid and electric cars looks good, if the conclusions of a global survey of so-called Generation Y consumers turn out to be correct, writes Brian Byrne.
The survey of those who were born between 1980 and the early 1990s suggests that 57 percent of them prefered 'an electrified vehicle' for personal transportation.
According to the consultants who conducted the questioning, Deloitte LLP, the motivation for the EV/hybrid preference is not an altruistic wish to save the planet, rather to save the money in their wallets by lowering fuel costs.
The survey also showed that Generation Y welcome the growing trend to 'connected' cars, and a touchscreen is the most important item on a dashboard for them.
In America, it is estimated that Gen Y consumers will buy one in four of all cars sold there this year, and 40 percent of all cars sold in the US over the next 10 years.
On the other side of the coin, fewer American young people are taking out driving licences, and they are driving less, according to other research. According to Mark Fields of Ford Motor Company, the number of 16 year-olds getting a licence declined by 16 percent in the 30 years up to the end of 2008. He said the smartphone has replaced the car as 'the ultimate mobile device'.
