Mobility Barometer 2025

Does the car have a future? More people are confident in what they believe

E-bikes, scooters, expanded public transport – will the car really remain as important in the future? The answer may surprise you.

But first, a question: Do you know when the wheel was invented?

What we do know is that the wheel has been a common denominator for most new ways of getting from A to B – from emerging micromobility solutions such as e-scooters and e-bikes to high-speed trains and electric buses.

So, do we believe that the traditional car will continue to play a major role in the future?

A clear majority, 62 percent, believe that the car will remain important, even as new ways of getting around continue to evolve. This matches the all-time high for confidence in the car’s future recorded in the 2024 Mobility Barometer.

In fact, the trend is strengthening, those who are most convinced of the car’s future have increased from 23 to 29 percent.

Notably, Norwegians – who also drive more electric cars than anyone else – are the most convinced, with 75 percent believing the car will continue to play a major role.

Looking specifically at EV drivers, this group is also the most confident. Three out of four EV owners in the Nordics believe the car will remain important going forward.

So, when was the wheel invented?

We can’t know exactly, but research generally agrees that the wheel was invented around 3,500 BC and began being used for transport shortly thereafter. In other words, the wheel has been helping us move from A to B for more than 5,000 years – and it’s likely to keep doing so for a long time to come.