Is mobility in the Netherlands still affordable?

30 countries, 30,000 consumers

The annual Global Automotive Consumer Study was developed over a decade ago as a tool to view the sector through a consumer lens. This year the survey captures the opinions and behaviours of over 30,000 consumers in 30 countries around the world including the Netherlands.

What insights are specific to the Dutch market?

Savanovic: "Let me get right to the point: mobility has become expensive in the Netherlands — I think too expensive. The average car costs around 48,000 euros, an increase of 20% in just a few years. In addition, there are still not enough electric models available under 35,000 euros. Buying a new car is therefore out of the question for a large group of consumers. And when it does come to a new purchase, more and more Dutch consumers are looking at new car manufacturers, for example from China, who can offer quality plus a variety of options for an affordable price." Brand loyalty has never been so low.

What other insights emerge from the study?

"40% of the Dutch want to drive electric, mostly driven by the low fuel costs, environmental considerations and the attractive driving experience. But we do have quite a wish list. We think fast charging time for EVs is by far the most important: 8 out of 10 people expect charging to take no more than 40 minutes. The majority want a range of at least 400 kilometres. And in some aspects we really are an atypical country. The Netherlands is the only one of the 30 countries surveyed that prefers to pay via an app on the smartphone, compared to paying with a creditcard. More striking facts: almost two-thirds of car owners only drive more than a hundred kilometres once or twice a month. Only 17% of Dutch drivers use their car daily. And then there is also a large category that almost never drives: as many as 34% use their car only once every few months. No other country in the study even comes close to this percentage."

What about brand loyalty and trust?

"The Dutch are not brand loyal. For almost two-thirds of motorists, their current car is a different brand from the previous one. So there is work to be done for existing parties to work on brand preference and brand loyalty — and it opens up opportunities for new car manufacturers on the market. On the other hand, when it comes to preference for a sales channel, we are conservative again. 78% still prefer to buy from a dealer rather than directly from the manufacturer or via an online provider." More than any other country, the Dutch actually want to see and experience the car before they buy it.

How do electric and hybrid driving compare?

"While the Netherlands has been investing heavily in electric driving infrastructure for years, we now see a decline in interest in electric cars, or EVs, over the past year. 42% of the cars sold were hybrid models, 35% were EVs. Hybrid driving feels like the best of both worlds to many people. And on the supplier side, car manufacturers feel less incentive to dedicate themselves to producing EVs, especially now that CO₂ regulations from the European Union are being made less urgent."

"When it comes to trust, a curious discrepancy emerges between behaviour and attitude. The Dutch are primarily looking for connectivity via Apple Carplay or Android Auto. But if you ask them 'Who is allowed to manage your data?', 39% do not trust any party. So, while we watch online videos en masse — and share our data freely with foreign parties — we don't trust our data to, say, the car manufacturer, the dealer or any government agency. A huge lack of trust like that? The automotive industry needs to gain the trust of the consumer and they need to ramp up: consumer data is the basis for their future add on business models. 

Are the Netherlands ready for Mobility as a Service?

"The survey shows that only 28% are open to some form of MaaS. In this, we are one of the lowest scoring countries. Even when it comes to the youngest target group, only 23% are willing to consider a subscription model. Most younger people live in big cities and have less need for (car) mobility. Also they experience difficulties and high costs finding parking space and they are facing rising costs of living, so choices must be made. The majority do not want to spend more than 400 euros on their mobility which begs the question: how realistic is the picture the Dutch have of their own monthly car expenses? We know from previous research that for example a major expense such as depreciation is often overlooked."

What is your main conclusion?

"Mobility must remain affordable. We urgently need new solutions for the Dutch consumer. There will have to be more low-cost models. More car sharing could — and should — be one of the solutions. The industry should collaborate more, innovate more and look closely at how other countries are addressing these issues. But above all, we will have to be more open to MaaS solutions, promote this more and even maybe subsidise it. We have to be willing to think a little further than that convenient car in front of our house. How can we increase that willingness? Lower costs always help to start persuading people. That is something we all need to work on seriously."