Uneconomic Prime Based on the Latest Roole Observatory

According to this Roole study, the French dependency on cars forces them to manage their expenses with some unexpected consequences.

Founded in 1982, Roole is the leading car club in France with 1,400,000 members. This broad membership allows it each year to conduct a large observatory of French motorists’ habits.

In a tense economic context – inflation, announced 10% increase in electricity prices, rising fuel costs – the purchasing power of the French is heavily impacted. This is while they remain largely dependent on their cars for daily life (nearly 80%). To cope, motorists, who spend between 100 and 300 euros per month on their vehicles for nearly half (49%), are forced to adapt and come up with strategies to lower their expenses. For example, 65% now avoid taking the highway due to toll costs. As for the challenge of transitioning the sector to electric vehicles, it appears difficult to accomplish as more than half of drivers plan to keep their internal combustion cars in 2024.

The French dependence naturally increases as they move away from urban centers. 90% of residents in rural communes rely on their cars to visit relatives, compared to 66% in the Paris metropolitan area. However, France remains an exception with generally high dependence on automobiles.

The transition to electric vehicles does not seem to be a priority for the French, as only a minority (19%) are considering investing in a hybrid or electric vehicle. Similarly, although the French consider carpooling, only a minority currently practice it. This practice is more favored by young people (16% regular practice among 18-24-year-olds) than by those aged 65 and over (only 4%). When it comes to carpooling, financial motives (33%) are the leading reason, ahead of ecological convictions (18%). However, 35% of drivers state that both motives are equally important.

Eco-driving, on the other hand, is widely practiced by the French (83% practice at least sometimes), with a majority (55%) doing so regularly. Again, mainly for financial reasons (44%), far ahead of ecological convictions (15%).