The France Ridesharing Market size is estimated at USD 2.41 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 3.83 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 9.71% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
Rapid penetration of the internet and smartphone has increased the usability of ridesharing applications and created awareness at the same time.
Technological advancements such as navigation service, live traffic data, and mapping, which are imperative for ridesharing services, have also propelled the market in France.
Key Highlights
- Global warming has manifolded due to human activities, and as per the report, the transportation sector contributes to 14% of total global CO2 emissions. 95% of the world's transportation energy involves burning fossil fuels, largely gasoline and diesel. To reduce CO2 emissions, the government is setting ambitious targets for the emission of CO2 for road vehicles and encouraging ride-sharing to achieve the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
- The court of appeal in Paris has ordered vehicle owners willing to share their car with passengers not to charge any more than what it costs to drive them to their destination and has cracked down on the model of making a profit out of the country's carpooling schemes. This has increased the adoption of carpooling rides in the country.
- Rising strikes from the carpool operators for the higher and regulated pay rates, criminal cases for nonprofessional drivers (UberPoP), resistance from traditional transport services, and complex transport policies can restrain the growth of ridesharing in France.
- However, ridesharing offers cost-effective, eco-friendly, and alternative options to meet new people is expected to boost the market. Furthermore, it involves very limited physical infrastructure (if any) to boost and comes at a very limited cost.
France Ridesharing Market Trends
Increased Internet Penetration is Expected Drive the Market
- According to the report, France stands 7th in smartphone penetration worldwide, with 76% penetration and 32,598,000 smartphone users out of 65,233,000 population. The French were the early adopters of smart payment cards, including chip-and-PIN and contactless technology. As Samsung is, the leading phone brand in France makes Samsung Pay one of the top proximity mobile payment apps, even though Apple Pay and Google Pay are also available. The online payment trend has fostered the growth of the ride-sharing market as French people find this mode of payment user-friendly and sophisticated.
- The new mobility services and business models are changing urban transport, affecting both the supply and demand sides of the urban mobility market. Internet penetration and higher price of public transportation have changed the commuting sector, and app-based mobility services, such as car and ride-sharing through single or integrated ticketing services, offer new possibilities to expand and complement existing mobility that would help to balance public and private transport in France cities. There are several projects with a new model that can change the daily commute.
- For instance, MOBI-MIX, the new EU Interegg two seas project, will develop and source state-of-the-art public-private collaboration models for more effective implementation of micro-mobility (e-bikes, e-scooters, shared mopeds, docked bikes, electric skateboards, shared bicycles) and MaaS solutions (Mobility-as-a-Service), ultimately leading to a more livable city. The objective is to reduce 365 tons of CO2 emissions by replacing 2.6 million fossil-fueled car kilometers in the urban environment of 5 cities in Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, and Holland. It was expected to run trials until September 2022 and sought an effective way to successfully implement shared mobility solutions.
Tourism Will Hold Significant Market Share
- France is one of the most popular tourist spots, the most attractive city of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, and Disneyland. In 2018, the country was visited by 89.4 million people and had a target of 100 million tourists for 2020 due to many key attractions, making it an appealing destination. As most tourists don't own private vehicles, they heavily rely on public and shared transportation. Public transportation in major cities of France is expensive and compels tourists to opt for ridesharing services such as Uber, BlaBlaCar, Heetch, GoCarShare, etc. which charge cost-effectively.
- COVID-19 disrupted tourism worldwide and indirectly affected the ridesharing market as most people were advised to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing and lockdown of workplaces and offices restricted the use of ridesharing. Many vendors and drivers lost income because of reduced demand for ride shares during the COVID-19 quarantine period.
- The significant differences in lifestyles concerning transportation between urbanized regions such as Paris, Nice, and Lyon and smaller towns and rural areas also drive the market. Most people in major cities own a car and simply don't use efficient public or shared transport, which has a lower occupancy rate than in other developed countries. For instance, the mean occupancy rate of personal vehicle trips in the United States is 1.55 persons per vehicle, and in France, the mean value is 1.39, whereas, in the Paris region, the rate is 1.28. Considering the facts, ridesharing holds a much promising future in urban areas that can increase the occupancy level of private vehicles and decrease the number of on-road vehicles and emissions of vehicle pollutants.
- Paris plans to promote sustainable transport through electric carsharing and EV purchase incentives and has launched the world's first fully-electric carshare service Autolib to inculcate sharing culture. Moreover, it has developed a Navigo payment system that maintains high customer satisfaction by providing an easy-to-use network and enabling passengers to pay for public transport and carshare and bike-share programs. These plans are expected to boost the growth of the ridesharing market in France.
France Ridesharing Industry Overview
The French ridesharing market is highly concentrated and is dominated by a few major players, like BlaBlaCar, GoCarShare, Zify France, Flix Mobility, and Carpool World. These major players, with a prominent market share, focus on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies leverage strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and profitability. However, with technological advancements and product innovations, mid-size to smaller companies are increasing their market presence by securing new contracts and tapping new markets.
In July 2023, Michelin will be testing airless tires on French postal vans, providing more real-world experience with tire designs that could benefit EVs. Airless tires also aren't susceptible to punctures, in turn eliminating the need to change flats. That could also make them ideal for autonomous vehicles operating in ride-sharing services without human drivers onboard.
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