Global youth survey reveals electric vehicles are preferred mobility option

Nissan commissioned Economist Impact on a survey that targets the future mobility choices of young urban dwellers^*1. The findings, based on responses from 3,750 participants across 15 global cities ^*2, reveal younger generations’ preference for electric vehicles, reinforcing Nissan’s ongoing efforts in electrification and commitment to sustainable solutions to meet evolving needs.

Key respondent findings include:

• The majority (57%) of young city residents are willing to change their travel habits to reduce carbon footprint; those in emerging cities see environmental concerns an urgency for their mobility choices.
• Electric vehicles (EVs) emerge as the preferred mode of mobility; EV ownership is expected to climb from 23% today to more than 35% in the next decade.
• Enthusiasm is strongest in emerging cities, with 44% envisioning driving EVs in the next five years, compared to 31% in developed cities; the realities of pollution pushing them to consider sustainability.    
• Younger urbanites reveal strong interest in innovations such as energy storage, alternative fuels and vehicle to everything (V-to-X), with roughly half (more than 40%) indicating that these technologies will influence their mobility choices.

“This research explores how the younger generations envision the future of mobility—an essential perspective, as their choices will directly shape the evolving mobility landscape,” said Ritu Bhandari, Asia-Pacific Sustainability lead at Economist Impact. “Our findings reveal that for sustainable mobility to succeed, cities need to balance environmental goals with real commuter priorities like affordability, convenience and inclusivity. 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.”

“We believe in making mobility electrified and sustainable — it is a defining expectation shaping the future of transportation,” said Lavanya Wadgaonkar, Nissan’s corporate vice president of Global Communications. “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.”

Younger generations chose electric vehicles as their preferred mode of mobility
Optimism remains high among survey respondents with more than one-third expecting to use a personally owned electric vehicle within a decade, up 23% from today. For the ten-year outlook, EV ownership preference surged by more than 50%. Enthusiasm is strongest in emerging cities with 44% envisioning driving EVs in the next five years, compared to 31% in developed cities. Growing environmental concerns such as pollution and congestion are spurring greater interest in EVs in cities such as Shanghai, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City. Factors that shape EV adoption highly depend on battery infrastructure and costs. Respondents in emerging cities are more concerned about EV batteries while those in developed cities focus on EV costs, with prices still higher than traditional combustion-engine vehicles.

Future enthusiasm for EVs goes beyond mobility 
More than 40% of survey respondents are excited about new EV technologies and recognized their potential to influence everyday life. Half of the respondents are aware that EVs can both power external devices as well as store excess renewable energy, as EVs evolve from being a transport device into a potential tool for energy management. Respondents in emerging cities displayed more enthusiasm for the application of EVs beyond mobility, such as using, sharing and transporting electricity during emergencies.  

The survey findings align with Nissan’s vision of developing and promoting cleaner, safer and more inclusive mobility for everyone, everywhere. Nissan continues to advance its electrification strategy to make EVs more accessible and cost competitive, working to improve charging infrastructure, enhance battery technology, and develop more cost-effective EV solutions. By integrating smart charging solutions, battery energy storage innovations, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) solutions, Nissan aims to create a more holistic and efficient EV energy ecosystem.

Nissan is providing practical solutions to the world’s transport and energy needs, and remains focused on investing in future-ready solutions to shape a more sustainable and resilient transportation future.

Notes:

*1 The Economist Impact and Nissan surveyed 3,750 urban residents aged 18–30 years old in 15 cities across five continents, to discover the attitudes of the younger generation on the future of sustainable urban mobility.
*2 The survey sample was evenly split between Bangkok, Copenhagen, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mexico City, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Riyadh, São Paulo, Shanghai, Tokyo and Toronto.