Dealerships Hopeful EVs Will Bring Back That New Car Smell

People get nostalgic about their first set of wheels, but those fond memories probably miss an important detail—they were often pieces of junk. Auto dealers didn’t mind.

Back in 1976, cars on American roads were just 6.2 years old on average, and new car sales accounted for nearly 10% of car registrations. However, by 2019, as the average car age had doubled, more consumers were able to hold on to their cars longer or opt for used ones. Consequently, the share of new vehicle sales had fallen to 6.4% of registrations.