As the electric car market is still relatively new and growing rapidly, it is of interest to consultancies and pollsters, who are constantly publishing studies on the subject which, when aggregated, produce a profile of the typical electric car owner in France.
We know that they are men (nearly 70% of owners), private individuals, aged between 46 and 48 according to the studies (much younger than those with combustion engines, whose buyers of new cars are approaching sixty), mostly city dwellers, who invest in new cars. Technophiles, they generally have a charging point at home – a figure that rises to 90% for house owners – and, despite comfortable incomes, they tend to go for the most affordable models, which they acquire by leasing. Finally, in the first few months of 2025, French electric vehicle owners were more inclined to buy… French! In fact, the top 10 electric cars sold in France in recent months include six models from French manufacturers.
The main motivations
For this typical buyer and all the others, the decision to go electric is the result of a number of factors. The first is, of course, consumers’ growing ecological awareness. Reducing their carbon footprint (in use) and making their own contribution to curbing climate change are the main reasons for considering the purchase of an electric car, particularly among younger people, which explains why the average age of electric vehicle owners is lower than that of internal combustion customers. But this is not the only argument in favour of ‘watted’ cars. While the average purchase price of an electric car is always higher than that of a combustion engine, the running costs are lower, maintenance is less frequent and more expensive, and it is possible to benefit from state aid to reduce the bill. Add to this the numerous financing options, from long-term leasing (LLD) to leasing with an option to purchase (LOA), and the wallet can manage without too much damage. The new generation, for whom the car seems to be primarily a utility object rather than a collector’s item, seems more inclined to lease their vehicle and to change it more often than their elders.
In the same vein, shifting gears after rattling the rev counter, listening to the hum of a V8 and changing the oil, filters and spark plugs in the garage on Sundays is a little less thrilling for these new buyers, who prefer a vehicle that is quiet, easy to drive and packed with technology.
Persistent obstacles
But let’s not kid ourselves. If the electric car market is growing rapidly, it’s mainly because it started from scratch and has been boosted by various political measures, both in France and in the European Union. Consumers are still faced with a number of obstacles to the purchase of an electric car, the most important of which is range. This is the number one concern for more than 80% of French people, even though on average they only drive around fifty kilometres a day. In addition to this – slightly exaggerated – fear of a breakdown, there’s the worry of not being able to find charging points. With 160,000 charging points spread across the country, France is not lagging behind, and is even aiming for 400,000 by 2030. By way of comparison, there are only 10,000 service stations in the whole country! But the argument is still valid, particularly for people living in rural areas who often have no choice but to install a charging point at home, given the long distances between charging stations.
Finally, although we mentioned above that electric cars can be interesting from a financial point of view, money is still a barrier for most households. This can be explained by the fact that the second-hand market for electric cars is still very small. Logical, given that a French owner keeps his or her electric vehicle for an average of 5 years before selling it on, and that a large number of these vehicles in the French fleet have been on the road for less than 5 years… There are grounds for optimism.
Towards democratisation?
All the lights are green for the democratisation of electric cars (and electric mobility in general) in France and Europe. Carmakers have switched, are switching or are planning to switch to 100% electric cars, from the most mass-market to the most luxurious, driven by the desire to change things, to attract new, younger consumers who are concerned about the environment, but above all by the local policies imposed on them. In 2035, quite simply, it will be forbidden to sell new combustion-powered vehicles. And 10 years is the minimum time needed to ensure that the transition is complete by then.
The ambitions for infrastructure dedicated to recharging electric vehicles are very high, but so far in France, one target after another has been met, giving us confidence for the future. The same goes for innovations to extend the range of electric vehicles, battery recycling and battery manufacture – all areas of uncertainty and concern for French consumers that should become clearer over the next few years. The main question is whether, by 2035, the sketch we drew up in the introduction will be any different from that of 2025? Not for sure, but if there is a real democratisation of electric mobility, it will be much more complex to establish!
