SAN FRANCISCO and SANTA MONICA, Calif. -

Even though some automotive analysts worry that millennials simply don’t drive as much as previous generations and put much less emphasis on vehicle purchases, recent studies suggest otherwise.

First off, TrueCar projects millennial-generation shoppers will purchase 4.24 million cars and light trucks in 2015, equating to a whopping $135 billion in total revenue.

Backing up this assertion is data from 2014. Last year, millennials made up 24.9 percent of buyers on the TrueCar’s mobile marketplace. The site expects this to expand to about a third of its buyers this year.

“Improving economic conditions are shifting the rhetoric around millennials and car buying,” said John Krafcik, president of TrueCar. “They are the largest growing cohort in the market and saying they don’t like cars simply isn’t true anymore. We know having a car means the same thing to millennials that it does to other generations: independence and identity.”

According to TrueCar, millennial car buyers are expected to spend an average of $31,771 on their new-vehicle purchases this year.

A study from MTV presented at the recent NADA Convention reinforces these findings regarding millennials interest in vehicles. The study, titled “Millennials Have Drive,” shows that this generation may be far more interested in cars and driving than we may think.

The study touches on a series of “myths” about young people and the auto industry — the first being, “Millennials Don’t Drive.”

MTV pointed out that the facts show driving is still their “go-to mode.”

According to the study, 80 percent of millennials get around most often by car versus walking (8 percent), public transportation (8 percent), biking (2 percent) and car services (1 percent).

In fact, the study also showed that people in this generation typically drive more than those from other generations, averaging 144 miles per month.

Many in the industry are also worried about the lack of interest in cars among younger shoppers. MTV debunked this theory, as well, reporting 70 percent of Generation Y enjoys driving versus 58 percent of the Baby Boomer group and 66 percent of Generation X.

Though looking at these stats, it seems the industry may have been wrong about waning interest among younger generations, MTV analysts say automakers still need to figure out how to best target these young people.

These strategies include understanding how millennials engage with cars, how they view their vehicles and more.

See Monday’s Auto Remarketing Today for more information on how to better target and serve younger car shoppers.