FREENOW Urban Mobility Report 2024: Embracing sustainable and shared transportation solutions

Urban mobility is undergoing a transformative shift towards sustainability, shared solutions, and technological integration, as revealed by the latest mobility survey from Kantar research, commissioned by the Mobility Super App, FREENOW.

The study highlights the growing trend of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), which combines various transportation services into a single interface, simplifying urban navigation for consumers. This comes at a time when car ownership in Europe is experiencing a significant decline, with a 38% year-on-year decrease. The survey found that 39% of UK respondents already use ride-hailing apps, and 69% believe the use of such mobility apps will only increase.

FREENOW's partnership with Karhoo in November 2023, integrating its taxi and private-hire vehicle (PHV) services into major consumer apps like Trainline and Eurostar, reflects the shift towards seamless transport solutions.

Sustainable transport is also gaining significant traction. The survey reports that 75% of 18–29-year-olds in the UK see electric vehicles (EVs) as the future of urban mobility. However, 53% of respondents called for better incentives for sustainable mobility, citing inadequate EV charging infrastructure as a major barrier.

FREENOW is responding to these trends by supporting drivers in the transition to EVs and offering passengers the option to choose an EV ride. Approximately 40% of FREENOW trips in the UK are already with zero-emission capable vehicles.

Looking to the future, 45% of British respondents are open to autonomous vehicles, aligning with predictions that 40% of European mileage could be covered by such vehicles by 2030. Additionally, 20% foresee air taxis and flying vehicles as viable urban transport options by 2033.

The survey also sheds light on the current state of urban transport, with public transportation still playing a significant role. Nonetheless, 41% of respondents cited delays in public transport as a major issue, along with traffic congestion (52%), parking difficulties (35%), and inadequate infrastructure (17%).

By 2033, respondents anticipate a greater reliance on shared micromobility options (e-scooters, e-mopeds, e-bikes) and car-sharing services, reflecting a move away from traditional car ownership.

Mariusz Zabrocki, UK General Manager at FREENOW, said: “Our survey results highlight the continuing impact of mobility apps on consumer travel habits. This data reveals people will be looking at apps to plan and book their trips, that is why we continue to expand our taxi and multi-mobility offer while allowing it to be easily combined with other transport modes in our app.

“It's fantastic to witness strong support from young people for electric vehicles as the future of transportation. At FREENOW, we actively share this goal and proudly lead through our EV taxi offer, along with the largest selection of greener alternatives such as e-bikes and e-scooters.

“As technology continues to take us on great leaps into the future, we see mobility in cities becoming more complex, while customers are conversely looking for simplicity, convenience and speed. We know a sustainable, shared, and seamless approach will provide our customers with the best service they can always rely on for any journey.”