Industry trends shaping Inchcape's future

Learn more about the trends shaping our industry and global markets.

Insights into our industry’s transformation

The automotive industry is experiencing accelerated change across its supply chain – from OEMs to dealers and consumers. What’s clear is that the role of independent automotive distributors, such as Inchcape, has never been more crucial in helping OEMs navigate this change and unlock new growth opportunities.

Sustainable mobility

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The transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has not been linear, with societal, industry, and customer challenges differing across markets.
Some markets, often supported by government incentives, have embraced BEVs, while others face challenges to widescale BEV adoption and currently favour hybrids and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Customers are seeking more sustainable mobility options and want a greater understanding and reassurance of how electrification fits their lifestyle and mobility needs.
Inchcape has an important role to play in accelerating the global mobility transition - the shift from traditional mobility choices to lower-carbon solutions – in a way that is inclusive, locally responsive and long-lasting.
There is no one-size fits-all solution – it must be tailored to each market’s unique needs, infrastructure, and socio-economic context, and we are committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders to shape the future of mobility.
Inchcape’s Sustainability Framework outlines our ambition to accelerate the global mobility transition by delivering insights, enabling new technologies, and providing the most sustainable route to market through our Planet, People, Places and Practices pillars.

Sustainablility

The power of technology and data

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To thrive in this constantly changing landscape, OEMs must remain agile and adopt data-driven strategies. The right distribution partner provides the required local intelligence, global scale, and advanced technological capabilities.
They do the heavy lifting for OEMs, boost market share, grow volumes, and maximise return on investment while improving customer retention.
Digital and data are at the heart of how Inchcape delivers value for our customers and OEM partners. Our proprietary technology stack, including our Digital Experience Platform (DXP) and Digital Acceleration Platform (DAP), powers every part of the distribution value chain – fully integrated with OEM systems and designed to deliver a seamless customer journey and smarter business decisions.
With hundreds of machine learning models in live operation across our network, our data-driven approach continues to evolve – helping OEMs anticipate customer needs, optimise performance and stay ahead in a fast-changing mobility landscape.

Navigating global complexity

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For OEMs, the high cost of research and development adds financial pressure, while regulatory shifts and geopolitics can create further complexity.
Chinese OEMs are reshaping the global landscape, requiring other OEMs to adapt at pace.
Rising costs in mature markets and the need for innovation are driving OEMs to partner with specialist distributors, like Inchcape, for complex and hard-to-reach markets where local knowledge is vital.
Distributors, like Inchcape, are crucial in helping OEMs navigate complexities in markets to unlock new growth opportunities.
Inchcape partners with established brands like Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, and newer entrants including Changan and BYD, to unlock growth in diverse markets through its in-market knowledge, global scale, advanced digital and data capabilities, and brilliant people.
These OEMs benefit from having a trusted partner to build market share, deepen customer relationships, and showcase their brands through omnichannel strategies – while optimising efficiency and effectiveness.

Partner of Choice

Drivers of Change

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Inchcape unveiled the findings of Drivers of Change, a study across 13 countries in Latin America and Asia-Pacifc on consumer sentiment toward personal mobility and consumer readiness for new energy vehicles (NEVs).
Personal vehicle ownership is closely tied to improved quality of life, especially in places with limited public transport where it enhances social inclusion, access to services, and personal freedom.
Sentiment toward NEVs is broadly positive (above 75%, on average) in both regions.
Despite positive sentiment, barriers to adoption remain. The intent to purchase NEVs in Latin America remains modest due to affordability challenges, limited infrastructure and lower awareness of NEV technologies. By contrast, consumers in APAC show higher ownership rates, greater trust and greater readiness – driven by higher familiarity with NEVs and stronger policy support. In APAC, the cost of NEVs is cited as the main barrier for adoption.
Findings show that the global moblity transition requires a localised approach and can be achieved faster, more equitably and more effectively through collaboration among policymakers, OEMs, distributors and the energy industry.

Our studies

Sustainable mobility

Expand

The transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has not been linear, with societal, industry, and customer challenges differing across markets.
Some markets, often supported by government incentives, have embraced BEVs, while others face challenges to widescale BEV adoption and currently favour hybrids and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Customers are seeking more sustainable mobility options and want a greater understanding and reassurance of how electrification fits their lifestyle and mobility needs.
Inchcape has an important role to play in accelerating the global mobility transition - the shift from traditional mobility choices to lower-carbon solutions – in a way that is inclusive, locally responsive and long-lasting.
There is no one-size fits-all solution – it must be tailored to each market’s unique needs, infrastructure, and socio-economic context, and we are committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders to shape the future of mobility.
Inchcape’s Sustainability Framework outlines our ambition to accelerate the global mobility transition by delivering insights, enabling new technologies, and providing the most sustainable route to market through our Planet, People, Places and Practices pillars.

Sustainablility

The power of technology and data

Expand

To thrive in this constantly changing landscape, OEMs must remain agile and adopt data-driven strategies. The right distribution partner provides the required local intelligence, global scale, and advanced technological capabilities.
They do the heavy lifting for OEMs, boost market share, grow volumes, and maximise return on investment while improving customer retention.
Digital and data are at the heart of how Inchcape delivers value for our customers and OEM partners. Our proprietary technology stack, including our Digital Experience Platform (DXP) and Digital Acceleration Platform (DAP), powers every part of the distribution value chain – fully integrated with OEM systems and designed to deliver a seamless customer journey and smarter business decisions.
With hundreds of machine learning models in live operation across our network, our data-driven approach continues to evolve – helping OEMs anticipate customer needs, optimise performance and stay ahead in a fast-changing mobility landscape.

Navigating global complexity

Expand

For OEMs, the high cost of research and development adds financial pressure, while regulatory shifts and geopolitics can create further complexity.
Chinese OEMs are reshaping the global landscape, requiring other OEMs to adapt at pace.
Rising costs in mature markets and the need for innovation are driving OEMs to partner with specialist distributors, like Inchcape, for complex and hard-to-reach markets where local knowledge is vital.
Distributors, like Inchcape, are crucial in helping OEMs navigate complexities in markets to unlock new growth opportunities.
Inchcape partners with established brands like Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, and newer entrants including Changan and BYD, to unlock growth in diverse markets through its in-market knowledge, global scale, advanced digital and data capabilities, and brilliant people.
These OEMs benefit from having a trusted partner to build market share, deepen customer relationships, and showcase their brands through omnichannel strategies – while optimising efficiency and effectiveness.

Partner of Choice

Drivers of Change

Expand

Inchcape unveiled the findings of Drivers of Change, a study across 13 countries in Latin America and Asia-Pacifc on consumer sentiment toward personal mobility and consumer readiness for new energy vehicles (NEVs).
Personal vehicle ownership is closely tied to improved quality of life, especially in places with limited public transport where it enhances social inclusion, access to services, and personal freedom.
Sentiment toward NEVs is broadly positive (above 75%, on average) in both regions.
Despite positive sentiment, barriers to adoption remain. The intent to purchase NEVs in Latin America remains modest due to affordability challenges, limited infrastructure and lower awareness of NEV technologies. By contrast, consumers in APAC show higher ownership rates, greater trust and greater readiness – driven by higher familiarity with NEVs and stronger policy support. In APAC, the cost of NEVs is cited as the main barrier for adoption.
Findings show that the global moblity transition requires a localised approach and can be achieved faster, more equitably and more effectively through collaboration among policymakers, OEMs, distributors and the energy industry.

Our studies

The Path Forward

Developing markets, technological innovation, and a commitment to sustainability will drive future success.

Independent distributors, like Inchcape, are vital in helping OEMs navigate market complexities, uncover local insights and embrace data-driven strategies to drive sustainable growth and redefine the future of mobility.

The pace of change in the mobility sector will only continue to accelerate. As we navigate this transformation, Inchcape remains dedicated to leading with insight, responsibility and innovation as we drive our business forward with Accelerate+, our strategy for growth.

Our investment case