The Rise of Unlicensed Cars: A Shift from Scooters to Safer Vehicles among Young People and Parents

The numbers speak for themselves. The unlicensed car market has exploded for many years with an increase of 20% every year. These marginal carts and for an equally marginalized population, especially drivers who had their licenses revoked, became a fashionable form of transportation. “This market has always existed. We have been set on it for 40 years, explains Olivier Tonadre, manager of ASP Center Lyon, Aixam dealer. The first increase was when the rules changed in 2014 to lower the minimum age to 14 years. Then manufacturers did a lot of work to appeal to young people in terms of appearance and parents in terms of safety. About ten years ago, we sold two or three cars a month. Today, I sell two hundred a year.” The arrival of Citroen with its Ami has given a boost to a previously less competitive niche market. “The design is very modern. The price, 7,990 euros, was also a big argument,” affirms Alexia Roussel, director of communications for the dealer Richard Drevet in Villeurbanne who markets Citroën Amis. A card that customers are willing to buy online. At first, it was only sold in home appliance or hi-fi stores. This model, whose nose is difficult to distinguish from the bow, is stimulating the market. “For 40 years we dominated the market and today they are right behind us. They broke the rules for driving without a license with a lot of self-deprecation. They brought the market to light. We are riding this wave. The arrival alone did not harm us,” laughed Olivier Tonadre.