For some Europeans, getting to work, taking children to school or visiting the doctor remains difficult without a car. These everyday needs led Laurence Noël, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Capgemini’s Automotive business, to raise the question of car affordability at the Movin’On Summit 2026.

She makes the case for reviving a segment of small electric vehicles designed for these journeys. The size and weight of the models are part of the equation, as is the share of their production carried out in Europe. In her view, these criteria must be brought together within a framework that enables manufacturers to invest while keeping prices affordable for households.

Laurence Noël also stresses the role of incentives. They must be sufficient to enable a European offering to develop and reach the necessary volumes. The challenge is to create an industrial market for a car designed around everyday mobility needs.