The average age of cars on American roads is currently 12.6 years.

Auto industry analysts and enthusiasts are always eager to explore the latest car models hitting the market, while the general public may not share the same level of enthusiasm. A recent analysis conducted by S&P Global Mobility has revealed a notable trend – the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads has been steadily increasing, reaching 12.6 years in 2024.

This increase, which pertains to both cars and light trucks, marks a two-month growth from the previous year’s data. This shift presents a lucrative opportunity for aftermarket parts and service providers. Todd Campau, the head of S&P Global Mobility’s aftermarket division, highlighted that as more vehicles fall within the prime aftermarket service age range of six to 14 years, which currently includes over 110 million vehicles (nearly 38% of the total fleet), the industry can anticipate further growth, potentially reaching 40% by 2028.

With owners opting to hold onto their vehicles for longer periods, the flow of cars towards scrapyards has diminished, despite a consistent rate of scrapped vehicles from the previous year. The data reveals that for every new passenger car registration, two cars are discarded, resulting in approximately 27 million vehicles exiting the roads since 2020, contrasting with only around 13 million new registrations.

Despite the steady pace of vehicle scrapping, the overall number of vehicles in operation has notably increased since the previous year. As of January, the country had 286 million vehicles in operation, reflecting an increase of two million vehicles from the previous year. However, the number of vehicles aged six years or less has slightly decreased from 98 million in 2019 to 90 million in 2024, partly attributed to pandemic-induced shortages and supply chain disruptions.

Furthermore, the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in operation continues to rise, defying some naysayers’ predictions. At the beginning of this year, there were 3.2 million EVs on U.S. roads, representing a growth of over 50% since 2022. Nevertheless, S&P Global Mobility pointed out that the average age of EVs on the roads, currently at 3.5 years, may rise in the short term due to slowing adoption rates.