The future of mobility is electric – especially for cars, but also for bikes

The car remains by far the most popular means of transport in Belgium, and it’s looking increasingly likely that we’ll use it more often in years to come. These were the findings of a survey conducted by DataSynergy on behalf of KBC. The dominance of the car was already evident from the Acerta mobility barometer, although this also found that more and more people are cycling as well.

KBC surveyed around 1 000 drivers on how they get around and learned that almost 80% use the car one to several times a week, with half using theirs daily. When asked about their future means of transport, 27% responded that they plan to use the car ‘more’ or ‘much more’, and 84% expect to buy themselves (another) one in the future.

In terms of popularity, the car is doing just slightly better than the electric bike, which 26% of respondents think they will use ‘more’ or ‘much more’ in the future. This latter trend has been confirmed by Acerta. Their mobility barometer revealed that for the first time, half of Flemish people are cycling to work. Looking into that figure reveals that 31.2% of employees in Flanders sometimes leave the car behind and take the bike, 17.6% do their entire journey by bike and only 0.7% combine the bike with public transport. ‘The rapid rise of the e-bike as well as sophisticated cycling wear and helmets are making cycling to work increasingly comfortable. Public spaces are also becoming more bike-friendly with the construction of additional cycle highways and wider cycle paths,’ Acerta explains.

Incidentally, KBC's survey also shows that cycling is becoming increasingly electrified. One in four Belgians now use an electric bike or speed pedelec at least once a week, equalling conventional bikes. Two years ago, 19% of those surveyed used electric assistance.

The electrification of cars is also ongoing. Since 2024, the number of fully electric vehicles has grown so sharply that they are now driven by one in 10 Belgians. General openness towards EVs remains stable at 50% of Belgians, according to KBC. ‘Environmental concerns remain the main reason for considering switching to a fully electric vehicle, followed by restrictions on traditional vehicles, the growing charging network and cheaper charging’, it was revealed. ‘As in 2024, the main barriers to buying a fully electric vehicle remain the high purchase cost and uncertainty about charging and battery life. That said, the cost price is slightly less of an issue than last year, thanks in part to the increasing number of low-cost models on the market.’

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