ROME – Italian motorists are increasingly “green” in terms of mobility. This was revealed by the first edition of the “Auto & Mobility Barometer” of the Europ Assistance group, according to which, even if 97% of Italians own a car (the highest figure in Europe, followed by Portugal with 92%), the increase the propensity to purchase electric vehicles (39%) despite concerns about costs, range and recharging. Furthermore, since the end of the health emergency, the number of people who choose to get around on foot has increased (96% of the sample interviewed, against an average of 94% in the countries involved in the research). Also increasing is the number of those who prefer sustainable means, such as the bicycle (52%) or the scooter (26%). The post-pandemic has also seen an increase in the use of other sustainable means of micro mobility, so much so that Italy is the fourth country, after Spain, Portugal and France, with the highest number of new users (35% ) and where 17% of the interviewees declare that they own a scooter. For the future, Italians plan to walk more and increase the use of bicycles, classic or e-bikes, but also of public transport, in contrast with other European countries.
However, it should be noted that overall there are still many who declare themselves reluctant to definitively abandon their car, even in the Belpaese the highest percentage of people most inclined to do so was recorded (41%). The growing attention to sustainability is underlined by the increasing propensity to buy electric cars. In Italy, although the budget for the purchase of a car (heat or electric) is the lowest in Europe (about 15,000 euros), 39% of those interviewed state that they are willing to consider buying an electric vehicle in the next 12 months, even if uncertainties remain about costs (55%), battery recharging (32%) and range on long journeys (25%). Finally, the research showed that the choice of the insurance company to rely on when buying a car depends mainly on the price and reliability, while the services considered most important are roadside assistance and the replacement vehicle (in Italy, respectively at 87% and 84%). There is also strong interest (53%) in policies based on the person, ie covering all journeys, regardless of the vehicle used.