Peugeot reveals the hidden cost of the University commute as Parents report paying more on fuel than accomodation deposits

85% of parents with children at university have helped their child with moving, with the vast majority (90%) relying on their own car to transport them and their belongings, versus just 9% using the train and 8% using a van.

Fuel and new home essentials such as kitchenware and bedding were the biggest expenses uncovered, even ranking ahead of the cost of a deposit to secure their child’s accommodation. Hotel stays were the biggest expense for some of parents, while others said parking charges and van hire incurred the highest costs when moving their child to university. In total, parents spend an average of £221 on transportation and re-location costs for their child when starting university.

For almost a quarter, two cars were required to make the move, with almost half of parents reporting their car to be ‘full to overflowing’ with the necessary moving items. Bedding was cited as taking up the most space, closely followed by clothes, kitchenware and electronics.

Unsurprisingly, just over four fifths of parents making the university commute said they would have benefitted from a larger car with more boot space.

 Peugeot’s SUV range includes the fully electric E-5008, which offers up to 2,232 litres of boot space as well as the flexibility of seven seats as standard, helping it accommodate all the university essentials with ease. Steve Wass, Managing Director, Peugeot UK, said: “Peugeot understands the pressures and logistics that come with family life; our cars are designed to handle the everyday drives as well as life's big moments, like the milestone journey when re-locating your child for university. Our largest SUV, the E-5008, is fitted with seven seats as standard, as well as generous storage and boot space, and with an electric range of up to 413 miles, it's not only a practical choice for busy parents but it also provides peace of mind when it comes to making long journeys too.”

Peugeot’s research found the average distance for parents to move their children was just over 100 miles. With almost a quarter going to university 50-100 miles away from their family home, 14% re-locating 100-150 miles away and 9% going to university 150-200 miles away, the university commute is considerable. Peugeot E-5008 is available in both 73kWh and 97kWh Long Range versions, the latter providing a range of up to 413 miles (WLTP) – more than enough to cover the typical journey to and from university.

The research by Peugeot also found that parents typically visit their children at university four times per year on average, with 89% choosing to make the journey by car, compared with 19% travelling by train and 5% by bus or a coach. Over the year, these trips cost parents £161 on average.

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