An attractive appearance is not enough. This is how Mobility selects its cars.
19.11.2025
Mobility has more than 3’200 vehicles on the road. But before a car is included in the fleet, Viktor Wyler and his team put new models through their paces.
Key points at a glance
Intuitive controls – vehicles must be self-explanatory for first-time users so that they can get to grips with them quickly.
Assistance systems with advantages: Parking sensors are essential as they prevent damage. More complex systems, on the other hand, offer hardly any advantages in everyday sharing.
Low overall costs: It’s not just the purchase price that’s important, but also the maintenance and resale value.
Sustainability: CO₂ emission is a hard criterion. Models that perform significantly worse than the best comparable vehicles – around one-third higher in output – are not an option for Mobility.
Mobility users probably rarely think about which model they’re driving. What is more important is that the car is the right one for the moment – for shopping, an outing or moving house.
Behind the scenes, however, there is a careful selection process – each of Mobility’s 3’200-plus vehicles must meet criteria to be eligible for car sharing. Viktor Wyler has the last word when it comes to which cars are to be added to the fleet. The Head of Fleet at the Mobility Cooperative knows what matters.
Different requirements exist for each category
The cars are split up into categories: Budget, Economy, Estate car, Minivan, Convertible, Emotion and Transport. Each one serves a purpose. The budget car is inexpensive and maneuverable, the estate car needs a large storage area – and the van even more. Viktor says: “In all our categories, we have a requirement profile that we have defined based on the needs of our customers”.
Car manufacturers set the pace
But when is it time for a new model? “There might be various reasons,” says Viktor. “A model becomes more expensive, is no longer available or is simply no longer being constructed”. Sometimes the requirements also change. One example of this is the changeover from manual to automatic: "It’s more convenient for people who don’t drive much”. In addition, “Coupling damage quickly adds up”.
As for the estate car: Car manufacturers are increasingly replacing the classic estate car with SUV models, which also poses new challenges for Mobility. “For the first time, we are forced to test an SUV in this segment, even though it doesn’t really fit in with Mobility’s philosophy.”
«In the end, what matters is that our vehicles functions – and that our customers find their way around them.»Viktor Wyler, Head of Fleet
The evaluation process – from the long list to practical testing
If a new model is needed in a vehicle category, the selection process follows a fixed pattern:
Market analysis and the long list: “My team looks at the market and draws up a long list – that could be around ten cars that fit on paper. We compare external and internal dimensions and the extent to which the technical criteria are met.”
Vehicle commission and shortlist: “We submit the results to the Vehicle Commission, which is made up of experts from different areas – from our technicians to the colleagues who develop the offer for the customers. In the end, we have a shortlist of two to three models.”
Practical tests: “We test the potential vehicles for everyday use over a period of two to four weeks. Based on a comprehensive test questionnaire, we then decide which model is best for us”.
If you ask Viktor about the selection criteria, he answers straight away: “The most important thing is simplicity. Lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, seat – everything should be comprehensible immediately”. Viktor also thinks carefully about what makes sense when it comes to new technologies. “Parking sensors are important these days and should be included if possible”. Self-steering parking aids, on the other hand, are often too complicated. “In the end, what matters is that our vehicles function – and that our customers can find their way around them”.
Profitability: From purchase to resale
In addition to ease of use, Mobility also takes cost-effectiveness into account when selecting vehicles. It’s not just about the purchase price, it’s also about the entire lifespan of a car.
When it comes to the drive, Fleet Manager Viktor Wyler remains pragmatic: “Even though we are purchasing more and more electric cars, we are technologically neutral.” Electric vehicles are currently one step ahead, especially when they come with a large battery and high charging capacity. But sustainable combustion engines will still be included for a while yet when it comes to expanding the Mobility offering.
Mobility specifically refrains from using plug-in hybrids. Although they have large batteries, they need to be recharged regularly. If they’re not, they drive almost exclusively on petrol. “If the charging infrastructure is in place, we prefer to opt for fully electric vehicles right away”.
For Mobility, full hybrids such as the Toyota Yaris are currently the better solution. They charge their smaller battery automatically during the journey, saving fuel and reducing pollutant emissions.
Mobility checks every model carefully before it is added to the fleet. “Requirements change with the market and the technology,” says Viktor. “But only cars that really prove themselves in everyday life make it into the Mobility fleet”. Our requirements are clear – in the end, you should simply get in, drive off and be able to rely on everything being all right.
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