Editorial

At L’Observatoire Cetelem, we regularly take the pulse of industries, products, innovations and generations of consumers, to check whether their hearts are beating as strongly as ever. In 2011, we turned our focus on the under- 30s, before they were even referred to as millennials. At the time, they were known as Generation Y. Some 15 years later, we turn our attention back to this age group, today’s Gen Z, to examine their relationship with cars. Our goal is to determine whether this relationship has evolved and, if so, how. This at a time when electric vehicles are emerging as the future of the industry, not to say its salvation.

Listening to what the under-30s are saying and thinking about cars is all the more crucial when we consider that they will be the lifeblood of tomorrow’s automotive market. Hence why this is a crucial subject for automakers. Should the lack of interest young people sometimes express ultimately translate into tangible choices, these firms will have cause for concern. And if that is not the case, then there is potential that brands are currently failing to harness completely or at all. Without revealing too many details about this latest edition of L’Observatoire Cetelem, we can safely say that we were quite surprised by the views put forward by the under-30s surveyed. To put it simply and bluntly, they love cars and are neither ready nor willing to live without them. In fact, between 2011 and 2025, the proportion who believe the industry will go on to see better days has actually increased. Of course, this hinges on whether cars can be successfully integrated into a mobility ecosystem that makes more room for green forms of transport, particularly in major cities.

Could the younger generation surprise us once again? When it comes to cars, our annual focus of attention, this could well be the case.

Flavien Neuvy
Head of L’Observatoire Cetelem