“We need more mobility and less traffic”

More electric propulsion, fewer cars, and innovative solutions such as car sharing – our mobility must change. This also requires new ways of behaving. The reality, though, is that vehicle numbers are on the up, and there are still significantly more fossil fuel-powered cars on the road than electric ones. Car sharing is popular in urban centres, but less so in rural communities, where many households have one or more cars.

But why is that? Part of it is down to our habitual behaviour, which we don’t like to change. Giving up your own car or switching to an electric one means having to plan ahead and perhaps no longer having a parking space on the doorstep. Also, cycling or walking is too big an adjustment for those leading busy, hectic lives. So what will it take to get the mobility transition under way? One way is through policy interventions. Someone with particular knowledge of this is Barbara Schaffner, GLP National Councillor and member of the Parliamentary Transport Committee.

Simon Kettner’s job finds him focusing on Canton Basel-Stadt’s mobility strategy; as such, he brought the urban perspective to the panel discussion. He, too, is persuaded that distances have to be shortened: “Shopping around the corner on foot is surely preferable to driving to an out-of-town shopping mall.” But he can’t see everyone suddenly taking up walking. “Mobility means being able to meet my needs in a way that suits me. We still want to be able to travel to work in comfort, go shopping or to the cinema and visit friends – it’s only natural. We even need more mobility for this, but less traffic.” Kettner explains the apparent contradiction thus: “Traffic is made up of vehicles that consume resources, energy and space. Mobility should consist of other concepts that can replace the private car. A shared car still takes up too much space. But it can replace ten private cars and save space that way. That makes sense.” After all: “Cars are justified for certain purposes, and as such will continue to exist. But they should be used more efficiently, plus they should be fewer in number and electrified.”

Innovative concepts such as car sharing are successful, particularly in urban centres. But solutions must also be sought in rural areas and in the fringes of conurbations, says Simon Kettner: “There, too, we have to rethink our means of transport.” In order to ramp up new mobility concepts in rural parts, he argues that more start-up financing and partnerships with municipalities and commercial enterprises are needed, as Mobility is doing. In rural areas in particular, reaching the necessary density of users isn’t easy. But this way, schemes could at least be developed in order to gather experience. “If everything works out, people might get rid of their own cars and the subsidies will no longer be necessary.”

Hans Fischer, co-founder of Solar Manager AG and the blogger behind Technikblog, has been test driving and writing about e-cars for some six years. He also thinks that good communication is key to dismantling prejudices: “The questions are always about range: how far can I go between charges without running out of juice in the middle of nowhere? This anxiety has to be countered with a great deal of awareness raising.” Fortunately, charging plugs are now mostly standardised. Adding to the complexity, however, is a glut of charge point manufacturers. “It may take another two or three years until we have a standardised solution across the board.”
But Hans Fischer notes that something’s already been achieved: “Last year’s steep increases in electricity prices have made people conscious of the energy they’re using and the price they’re paying. What can I do with the electricity? How can I save it? Where does it come from?” This new awareness around the issue is the most important step in the right direction.