The number of vehicles per inhabitant has grown significantly in Mallorca over the last 20 years, since in 2003 each Mallorcan had 0.77 vehicles. Although the population has increased significantly, the number of cars has been even higher. It should be noted that in 2023 the number of vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants was exactly 907.34 compared to 900.31 in 2023. However, it is still too early to speak of a change in trend. The latest data shows that in North America the figure is 860 per 1,000 inhabitants.
The professor of human geography at the UIB, Dr Joana Maria Seguí, states that it is a “fact that the level of motorisation in the Balearics is the highest in Spain and one of the highest in Europe”. At a global level, clinching top spot is New Zealand, a country known for its love of cars. With nearly nine cars on the road to every 10 people, this figure is notably high considering that children make up about 20% of the population. The majority of cars are imported second hand from Japan thanks to a wave of deregulation in the 1980s along with the country being a major producer of right-hand drive cars.
The U.S. falls close behind, with a clear preference for trucks and SUVs. In fact, the Ford F-1 Series has been the best-selling vehicle in America for 42 consecutive years. In Europe, Poland has the highest number of vehicles per person, but one of the lowest share of electric vehicles (EVs). While EVs make up nearly 16% of all cars in top-ranking country Norway, they comprise 0.1% in Poland. On average, EVs account for 0.8% of passenger cars in the European Union.
Driven by an expanding middle class, Vietnam has seen the fastest growth in ownership. Between 2015 and 2020, the motorization rate grew by an astonishing 17% each year. Additionally, China witnessed 14% growth while India’s vehicles per 1,000 people increased 10% annually over the period.