Report reveals emerging mobility trends across Europe and Ireland

The European mobility app FREE NOW has published a new report detailing emerging trends in mobility across Europe and changing consumer preferences in Ireland for 2022. The report draws on passenger trips and insights from its 54 million users, across 16 countries.

The report highlights several key trends including a rise of multimodality, increasing demand for electric journeys and popularity of micro-mobility options.

FREE NOW has transformed into a fully integrated multi-mobility platform, through partnerships with SHARE NOW, TIER mobility, Cooltra and Dott. As such, passengers are using the range of alternative forms of transport offered within the app including e-scooters, e-bikes and car sharing as part of a multimodal approach to daily travel.

The figures show a 483% year-on-year increase in e-scooter, e-bike and e-moped trips as well as a 931% increase in car sharing bookings across Europe in 2021 compared to 2020.

Across Europe, on average bookings of electric taxis doubled in 2021 compared to 2020. In Ireland, 48% more passengers chose to make ‘ECO’ bookings, meaning that more people chose to travel in electric and hybrid vehicles.

The growth in consumer interest in electric trip aligns with data showing three quarters of FREE NOW users in Ireland think there is a need for more sustainable, electric transport options in line with other European countries.

Further evidence from Ireland shows that 58% of users share the view that there are too many private cars on Irish roads. Indeed, interest is growing in micro-mobility options like e-scooters which will be introduced in Ireland this year. 40% of FREE NOW users have indicated they plan to use e-scooters for everyday travel.

FREE NOW Ireland state they are aiming to 'provide passengers with a dynamic range of sustainable, low-emission and efficient transport options.' Ireland’s Climate Action Plan includes ambitious targets for the transport sector, and FREE NOW hope to help 'bridge the gap between where we stand currently and where we need to be by 2030.'