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As we usher into the next decade, our modes of personal transport continue to evolve. Following suit, consumers have been given an onslaught of choices of exactly how they are going to travel from point A to point B. When taking a closer look at the car industry, these new options show shoppers scaling down buying habits, choosing to charge electric cars and investing in self-driving vehicles.
Car sharing and commuter cars
2020 may be the year when we see a minor blip in car buying and spending habits. In comparison with years past, a portion of consumers are expected to forgo investing in a vehicle with lots of bells and whistles. Instead, it’s predicted they will acquire simple ‘commuter’ cars, that are more economical on all fronts.
Take the Honda Fit for example. A compact vehicle at 161.40 inches, it makes parallel parking a breeze. You can also know Honda is living up to its fuel economy standards while buzzing around town (33mpg) or on the highway (40mpg) due to its lightweight design.
Along with buying more economical cars, the continued rein of the Y generation is likewise expected to choose other types of transportation. Some may opt for ridesharing: the practice of a passenger traveling in a privately-owned vehicle for a small fee or no cost at all.
Companies like Uber and Lyft are holding strong to their share of the market, partially fueled by people in bustling, metropolitan areas; those who have no need for cars. This concept is similarly attractive to those toying with the idea of having a side income after-hours. For future drivers, the Chevy Cruz could do the job. The diesel sedan version yields 48 mpg on the highway while the diesel hatchback yields 45 mpg. In comparison, the gas version sedan gets a not too shabby 37 mpg at similar velocities.
Electric vehicles
For those with a little extra change in their pockets, the idea of charging your vehicle may sound appealing. More and more manufacturers seem to be getting the message from the eco-conscious masses, releasing hybrids and redesigned electric cars that can go faster and further between pit stops at the charging station.
Despite, relative charging times and minimal stations to plug into, models like Hyundai’s EV seem to be treading water just fine. Pulling its weight with its competitors, a fully charged Kona boasts a 258-mile range and a beefy 201 horsepower. It has also been clocked by Edmunds.com as being a half-second faster at getting from 0 to 60 mpg than its gas-guzzling equivalent.
Bert Schultes, Founder of MotorCloud.com, suggests browsing the web to further compare what used models of the EV you have in mind are selling for. “With the introduction of cars like the Tesla Model S and Chevrolet volt in 2012, electric vehicles have been around for 9 years now,” he says. “Although there is a large pool of used electric vehicles now, it can be difficult to find them in one place. With the deepest used vehicle collection on MotorCloud.com, you can see them all in one place at https://motorcloud.com/electric/”
Self-driving cars
Though this technology comes with some legal and ethical concerns, support from proponents is on the rise. As excitement grows, it looks like we may be seeing this innovation on the roads soon. And while it seems like a scene from a sci-fi flick, you can bet that it will completely change the interaction between driver and car.
For the idea to break ground, not having control of the steering wheel will need to be coupled with making riders feel safe by knowing the vehicle has ‘smart’ technology that can predict hazards and react to keep the rider alive and well. Self-driving car passengers may need to know an override button exists should an emergency present itself. And like all hard drives, the operating system will need to be regularly debugged and serviced with updates.
