Forget owning the factory, the farm, or even the family car—today, savvy businesses and consumers are driving a nearly **$2 trillion global leasing industry** that funds everything from the plane you fly on to the EV in your garage, proving that access is now more powerful than ownership.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. equipment leasing and finance industry originated $919 billion in new leasing and financing volume in 2022
- Global leasing market size reached $1.8 trillion in 2023
- U.S. vehicle leasing penetration rate was 31% of new vehicle sales in Q4 2023
- Auto leasing represented 28% of U.S. new car sales in 2022
- Equipment leasing 35% of total U.S. commercial financing
- Vehicle leasing 45% of ELFA new volume in 2023
- 65% of U.S. consumers prefer leasing over buying cars
- 42% of millennials choose auto leases
- Average lease term 36 months for vehicles in 2023
- Leasing contributes $200B to U.S. GDP annually
- Supports 1.2 million U.S. jobs in leasing sector
- $100B in tax revenue from leasing in 2022
- Leasing market projected to reach $2.5T by 2030
- U.S. auto leasing to grow 4% CAGR to 2028
- Equipment leasing volume +5.2% annually through 2027
The U.S. leasing industry is a trillion-dollar market experiencing strong growth across various sectors.
Consumer Behavior
- 65% of U.S. consumers prefer leasing over buying cars
- 42% of millennials choose auto leases
- Average lease term 36 months for vehicles in 2023
- 55% of lessees return vehicles early due to mileage overage
- Women represent 48% of auto lease originations
- 70% of EV lessees cite lower upfront costs
- Average monthly auto lease payment $550 in 2023
- 28% of lessees negotiate residuals successfully
- Gen Z leasing interest up 20% post-pandemic
- 62% prefer no down payment leases
- Commercial lessees renew 75% of equipment leases
- 40% of SMBs lease to preserve cash flow
- Average office lease renewal rate 80%
- 35% consumers cite flexibility as top lease reason
- Lease default rate 2.1% for consumers in 2023
- 50% of luxury buyers lease vs buy
- Remote work reduced office leasing demand by 15%
- 68% SMBs use leasing for tech upgrades
- Average EV lease mileage allowance 12,000/year
- 45% lessees buyout at end of term
- Commercial lease preference for operating leases 60%
- 52% cite tax benefits for equipment leasing
- Urban consumers lease 2x more than rural
- 70% hospital admins prefer device leasing
- Lease satisfaction score 820/1000 in 2023 JD Power
- 38% switch brands at lease end
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
America's love affair with leasing, fueled by the siren song of lower payments and flexibility, reveals a financially savvy but often over-optimistic consumer who, despite enthusiastically committing to short terms, frequently panics about mileage limits and, ironically, finds themselves back on the lot negotiating or switching brands every three years.
Economic Impact
- Leasing contributes $200B to U.S. GDP annually
- Supports 1.2 million U.S. jobs in leasing sector
- $100B in tax revenue from leasing in 2022
- Leasing enables $1T in business investment yearly
- Reduces corporate capex by 40% via leasing
- $50B annual savings for SMBs from leasing
- Leasing penetration correlates with GDP growth 0.8
- Inflation impacted lease rates +3.5% in 2023
- Leasing buffered 20% of supply chain disruptions
- Contributes 5% to U.S. manufacturing output
- $30B in green leasing supports sustainability jobs
- Leasing delinquency rose with unemployment 1.2x
- $15B export financing via leasing
- Boosts infrastructure investment by $400B
- Leasing share in capex 25% for Fortune 1000
- Mitigates recession impact by 15% on capex
- $80B in renewable energy deployed via leasing
- Supports 300K jobs in auto leasing supply chain
- Leasing ROI for lessors averages 7.5%
- Contributes to 2% CPI stability via flexible terms
- $25B in agricultural productivity gains
- Enhances SME growth by 12% via access
- Global trade $500B facilitated by asset leasing
Economic Impact Interpretation
Leasing is the unsung financial Swiss Army knife of the American economy, quietly deploying a trillion dollars in business muscle, buffering everything from supply chains to recessions, all while saving companies a fortune and keeping the taxman happily employed.
Forecasts & Trends
- Leasing market projected to reach $2.5T by 2030
- U.S. auto leasing to grow 4% CAGR to 2028
- Equipment leasing volume +5.2% annually through 2027
- EV leasing to hit 50% of sales by 2027
- Global aircraft leasing $300B by 2030
- Real estate lease rates +2% annually to 2028
- Sustainability leasing +15% CAGR
- Digital leasing platforms market $10B by 2026
- Delinquency rates to stabilize at 1.5% by 2025
- Truck leasing demand +10% with e-commerce growth
- Office leasing recovery 2026 post-hybrid work
- AI-driven lease pricing adoption 40% by 2027
- Healthcare leasing $40B by 2030
- Renewables leasing double by 2030
- Construction equipment leasing +7% to 2028
- Global rail leasing $50B by 2030
- SMB leasing penetration 60% by 2027
- Residual values +5% with better maintenance tech
- Maritime leasing $70B by 2030
- Data center leasing +25% CAGR
- Agricultural leasing $20B by 2028
- Lease-as-a-Service model 30% market by 2027
- U.S. volume $1.1T by 2028
- Blockchain in leasing 10% adoption by 2030
- Luxury EV leasing boom +20% annually
- Global leasing IFRS16 impact fades by 2025
Forecasts & Trends Interpretation
The leasing industry is poised for a gilded age of growth, where everything from electric cars and data centers to farm tractors and airplanes is being financed with remarkable stability, proving that while ownership has its charms, the future is increasingly for rent.
Market Size & Growth
- The U.S. equipment leasing and finance industry originated $919 billion in new leasing and financing volume in 2022
- Global leasing market size reached $1.8 trillion in 2023
- U.S. vehicle leasing penetration rate was 31% of new vehicle sales in Q4 2023
- Equipment leasing accounted for 84% of commercial equipment financing in the U.S. in 2022
- The global aircraft leasing market was valued at $200 billion in 2023
- U.S. auto leasing volume grew 12% YoY in 2023
- Commercial real estate leasing vacancy rate was 17.5% in Q1 2024
- Global equipment leasing market CAGR projected at 6.5% from 2023-2030
- U.S. small ticket leasing volume hit $28.9 billion in 2023
- Lease revenue for Fortune 500 companies reached $150 billion in 2022
- U.S. auto lease penetration rose to 32.4% in 2023
- Global real estate leasing market valued at $3.2 trillion in 2023
- ELFA MLFI index increased 1.2% MoM in January 2024
- U.S. equipment finance delinquency rate was 1.45% in Q4 2023
- New vehicle leasing in Europe grew 5% in 2023
- U.S. vendor finance volume was $192 billion in 2023
- Global maritime leasing market size $45 billion in 2023
- Auto lease residuals averaged 56% after 36 months in 2023
- U.S. healthcare equipment leasing volume $25 billion in 2022
- Construction equipment leasing up 8% in 2023
- U.S. IT equipment leasing $18 billion annually
- Global rail leasing market $30 billion in 2023
- Office leasing absorption -10M sq ft in 2023 US
- U.S. renewable energy leasing $15B in 2023
- Truck leasing volume $50B in North America 2023
- Global wind turbine leasing market $8B in 2023
- U.S. retail equipment leasing $12B in 2022
- Agricultural equipment leasing up 15% in 2023
- U.S. data center leasing demand +20% YoY 2023
- Global solar leasing $20B in 2023
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
Amidst soaring trillions globally and niche sectors blooming from trucks to turbines, the leasing industry's robust health is humorously evident: we'd rather pledge monthly payments for nearly everything—from a surgeon's scalpel to a farmer's tractor—than ever truly own the wheels of progress ourselves.
Segment Breakdown
- Auto leasing represented 28% of U.S. new car sales in 2022
- Equipment leasing 35% of total U.S. commercial financing
- Vehicle leasing 45% of ELFA new volume in 2023
- Real estate leases 60% of corporate portfolios
- Aircraft leasing 90% of global fleet operations
- Construction equipment 22% of leasing volume
- IT/Software leasing 15% growth segment
- Healthcare leasing 12% of total equipment finance
- Transportation equipment leasing 18% market share
- Retail POS leasing 25% of small business finance
- Energy equipment leasing 10% YoY growth
- Office space leasing 40% industrial shift
- Truck/Trailer leasing 30% of heavy equipment
- Agriculture machinery 8% of U.S. leasing
- Maritime vessels 95% leased globally
- Data centers 70% capacity leased
- Solar PV systems 80% financed via leasing
- Wind farms 60% leased assets
- Manufacturing equipment 25% leasing penetration
- EVs leasing 55% of new EV sales in 2023
- Luxury auto leasing 40% market segment
- Medical devices 70% leased in hospitals
- Forklifts/material handling 90% leased
- Railcars 85% of fleet leased
Segment Breakdown Interpretation
From the daily commute to the highest skies, whether it's a scalpel, a solar panel, or a freightliner, modern commerce now runs on a simple, savvy principle: why own the cow when you can lease the milk, the bucket, and the entire global supply chain?
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