Compared to the general population, Gen Z adults are more likely to live in urban areas, be students, be unmarried and be without kids — all things that make driving less of a necessity. But also all things that were true of previous generations in their youth. What really differentiates the Gen Z driving dynamic (or lack thereof) is the extent to which digital experiences control their day-to-day lives.
Though Gen Zers are less likely than all U.S. adults to be employed full-time, those who do work are more likely than all U.S. adults to do so remotely, lessening the need for a commute. Plus, they’re voracious users of transportation services like ride-share and meal delivery: Nearly 3 in 5 (58%) regularly use the latter — that’s 19 percentage points higher than the average consumer.
In short, Gen Zers’ spend much of their days at home on their phones and computers, where, rather ironically, content around another, more humble mode of transport — walking — tends to thrive.
Fitness gurus endlessly tout the benefits of hitting 10,000 steps per day. Influencers document their “hot girl walks.” Walking pads are one of the most viral products on TikTok. Urban planners are even accumulating large followings for discussing the importance of walkable cities.
But Gen Zers aren’t just watching people talk about walking; they’re actually walking, too. Two-thirds (67%) of the young cohort cite walking as their primary fitness activity.
And while the circumstances, technologies and fixations that shape the contours of daily life for Gen Z will continue to inform their relationship to driving, it is, again, almost inevitable that their car ownership will increase with age. However, one automotive market segment may see little benefit: electric vehicles.
Fizzling EV enthusiasm
The share of Gen Z adults who expressed interest in owning an electric car steadily declined from 52% in June 2022 to 42% in June 2024. Meanwhile, the share who said they had no desire to own an electric car grew almost equally, from 41% to 48%, during the same period. Similar movements were not observed among all U.S. adults.
What’s more, Gen Z adults continued to report stable levels of interest in environmentally-conscious shopping habits, suggesting their decline in enthusiasm for EVs is not the product of a broader anti-environment movement.
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