Mobility media releases 2024

In Switzerland’s eight largest cities, the nearest Mobility station is less than 300 metres away on average. Stations are nearest in Bern, followed by Zurich and Lucerne. These cities also have the best density of stations per inhabitant. The French-speaking part of Switzerland is slowly catching up. 

Bern has the best mobility offer in Switzerland. This can be seen in a comparison of cities carried out by the car sharing company. The nearest Mobility station is just 246 metres away on average in the federal capital. Just behind is Zurich (247 metres), followed by Lucerne (261 metres). This means you can usually get to the nearest vehicle on foot before the end of a standard pop song. 

In Switzerland’s eight largest cities, the nearest station is on average just under 300 metres away, which is less than a five-minute walk. In recent years, the Mobility Cooperative has built up good coverage, particularly in urban areas, where sustainable mobility is well promoted. The company has also been strengthening its presence throughout the country, meaning that the characteristic red cars can now be found in over 500 municipalities. 

Wishes for the cities
Good accessibility is an important factor for car sharing, combined with public transport and non-motorised traffic, to be able to replace private cars. By doing this, car sharing helps cities reduce traffic, expand green spaces and achieve their climate targets. “Car sharing can play an even greater role in the transport revolution. But to do that, cities need to incorporate this form of mobility into their mobility strategies and concepts as an area of action,” says Thomas Schmid, Head of Market at Mobility. The Head of Market also notes that additional incentives for the creation and electrification of car sharing parking spaces are just as important. 

Geneva and Basel are excelling in electrification
Although neither Geneva nor Lausanne have made it to the podium in the city rankings, the trend among the cities in French-speaking Switzerland is clearly looking up. Last year, an additional 18 cars were put into operation in Geneva and 15 in Lausanne. There is a great need for more car sharing in these cities. Thomas Schmid says, “We’ve enjoyed talking with the authorities, private individuals and building projects, and will continue to develop these areas in French-speaking Switzerland over the next few years.” A great example of this, he says, is the collaboration with the Fondation des Parkings, which led to the creation of 26 spaces for electric cars in the train station car park in Geneva. This is one of the reasons why Mobility has been able to electrify a high proportion of its vehicles in Geneva (26%). Only Basel is a step ahead, with 30% of its fleet being electric cars. Just recently, Mobility put its 600th electric car into operation. This means that one in five vehicles in the Mobility fleet is now all-electric, while less than one in twenty privately owned cars on Swiss roads is an electric car.

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Car sharing is not just very popular in cities. Red Mobility cars are increasingly being found in smaller towns too. Not least thanks to successful collaborations. 

Conthey, Laax and Goms have something in common. They are just some of the 500-plus municipalities now home to at least one shared Mobility Cooperative car. This means that Mobility is represented in one in four of Switzerland’s 2’100 or so municipalities. “I’m delighted with this milestone,” says Mobility CEO Roland Lötscher. “It shows that car sharing is also playing an increasingly important role in both metropolitan and rural areas.”

In the last five years alone, more than 50 municipalities have joined in. This significant increase is due in no small part to collaborations. Such as those with Raiffeisen banks, which have been able to station a Mobility e-car next to their branches since 2022. But municipalities, residential developments and other companies also have the option of establishing Mobility car sharing through sponsorships. 

Car sharing as a locational advantage for municipalities
The municipality of Gais in Appenzell Ausserrhoden has been counting on Mobility since the spring. “In our opinion, car sharing represents a clear locational advantage for a municipality focussed on the future,” says municipal clerk Roland Lussmann. Demand for parking spaces and car parks is also increasing in small and medium-sized villages, whilst supply is limited. “With the Mobility vehicle, we support people who do not have their own car. Visitors and the general public alike now have the option of using a passenger car flexibly and on fair terms as and when they need to.” 

This is also true for the municipality of Conthey in the central Valais, where a Mobility car has been driven around for several months. “We are convinced of the potential car sharing has in Conthey,” says Municipal Councillor Philippe Germanier. “It only seemed logical to take the opportunity to become a Mobility partner to give the company's growth a little boost.”

Shared mobility is growing everywhere
According to the industry association CHACOMO, 46% of all municipalities now have at least one shared mobility offer. And more and more are adding to that number. Mobility also wants to continue expanding its offering of red cars. Our focus is on urban centres, where fewer and fewer people own their own car. At the same time, there is also a growing need for sustainable forms of mobility in rural areas so that private or second cars can be replaced.

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Mobility has carried out the largest practical test involving bidirectional electric cars to date and has come to the conclusion that this technology works and could be used in a financially viable way. Having been approved by popular vote, the Swiss Electricity Act [Stromgesetz] also provides more favourable regulatory conditions in Switzerland. But to enable electric cars to stabilise the power grid on a large scale in future, politicians, car manufacturers and network operators will need to do more still.

The era of bidirectional electric cars is just around the corner, but it will be a few more years before the technology is widely deployed. This is the greatly oversimplified conclusion of Mobility’s V2X Suisse pilot project. Over the course of a year and a half, the car sharing company has operated and tested 50 bidirectional electric cars as part of its fleet – in collaboration with six partners and with the support of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (see box). Not only did the cars draw electricity, but they also returned it to the grid when needed. Expectations for this technology are high, as electric cars could help stabilise the power grid in the future. After all, just a few thousand bidirectional cars can provide the same power output as a pumped-storage power plant.

Car sharing is complex
Now that the project is over, the those in charge of it are able to draw a definitive – and positive – conclusion. Firstly, the system’s technology worked and, secondly, it was proven that the cars supply electricity in seconds when the corresponding signal is given by the grid operator. The V2X project has shown for the first time that it is possible to group together multiple electric cars to create a virtual storage system and control the flow of energy in real time. With its vehicles and infrastructure, Mobility provided the perfect environment for this test. “This allowed us to investigate what is probably the most complex use case of all – with cars stationed all over Switzerland with different electricity providers and having to be available for shared journeys at any time,” said Pascal Barth, an electrical engineer at Mobility. According to Pascal, this goes to show that, “if bidirectional charging is possible in the case of car sharing, it should be possible anywhere”.

To be financially viable, prices have to fall
In addition to technical feasibility, the project also investigated whether a bidirectional fleet of cars could make money. The short answer is no, or at least not yet. First, the economic conditions for grid services need to be more favourable. V2X Suisse has discovered that it is already possible to generate revenue by charging and discharging at the right time – up to 600 Swiss francs per vehicle per year. However, this was far from enough to cover costs during the test phase. This is partly due to the very high prices for bidirectional charging stations. In addition, there are still very few bidirectional electric cars available and a lack of interoperable standards.

As it stands, fleet management therefore requires specific solutions that are not compatible with other car brands or charging stations. 
“The range of cars with bidirectional charging has not developed as quickly as hoped,” said V2X project manager and industry expert Marco Piffaretti. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic: “V2X Suisse has generated a lot of positive reactions and boosted bidirectional technology. We are sending a strong signal to car manufacturers to bring more of these vehicles to market at lower prices.”

No more double grid fees from 2025
Nevertheless, the regulatory framework is set to become significantly more favourable from 2025 onwards, as the Swiss electorate approved the Electricity Act on 9 June. This makes it possible, for example, to reimburse the double grid fees that have hitherto made feeding electricity back into the grid financially unattractive. In addition, the Act lays the foundations for a flexibility market for local distribution network operators. The corresponding ordinances are now being drawn up by the Swiss Federal Administration.

Mobility focusing on intelligent charging
In a few years’ time, it will be possible to operate a decentralised fleet of electric cars in a way that serves the grid and, above all, is cost-effective. Until then, Mobility will put bidirectional charging on the back burner and focus on the ongoing electrification of its fleet. The company has already switched 600 of its 3,000 or so shared cars to electric drive systems – including charging stations – and is still forging ahead with this transition. “The V2X Suisse project was a great opportunity for us to learn a lot about developments and technologies in electromobility and the energy markets,” says Mobility CEO Roland Lötscher. “We will use the findings to charge our electric fleet more intelligently in the future. Not only will this have a positive financial impact, but it will also improve the service life of the car batteries.” He believes it is entirely possible that Mobility might return to bidirectional charging in the future: “V2X Suisse is an impressive demonstration of the potential of this technology for Switzerland and for fleet operators.”

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The Mobility Cooperative is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative and is pledging to halve the company’s own CO2 emissions by 2030. On the road to net zero, the car sharing company is focusing primarily on the electrification of its red cars. 

Taking guidance from science-based targets, Mobility is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040 at the latest. This year, the Cooperative joined the Science Based Targets initiative, whilst it also committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. The aim of this treaty, which has been signed by 195 countries, is to limit global warming to 1.5°C. “By committing to the Science Based Targets initiative, Mobility is showing that we are prepared to assume responsibility and actively tackle the climate crisis,” explains CEO Roland Lötscher.

Planned reduction of 2’984 tonnes of CO2
Car sharing is an inherently sustainable product; it conserves resources and reduces the company’s ecological footprint as part of a circular economy. One Mobility car replaces eleven private cars. However, the Cooperative also causes greenhouse gas emissions and believes it has a responsibility to systematically reduce them. Mobility’s first step will be to reduce its emissions by 46% by 2030 compared with the base year of 2019 – which is equivalent to a permanent CO2 reduction of 2’984 tonnes. 

One in six cars is already powered by electricity
A reduction of 90% is needed to achieve the net-zero standard. In addition, any remaining emissions must be offset by negative emissions. “The most effective action we can take on our way to net zero is the electrification of our vehicle fleet, as fossil fuel vehicles currently account for 96% of the company’s emissions,” says Roland Beyeler, business development project manager. 

In the meantime, one in six of the company’s 3’000 vehicles is an electric car and many more vehicles and car parks will be electrified this year, too. By 2030, Mobility’s shared cars will be powered purely by electricity. Roland Beyeler: “But our mission goes beyond that. We want to achieve net zero emissions in all areas of our Cooperative.”

ABOUT SBTI
Science-based targets are a globally standardised and recognised method that companies can use to set realistic, measurable and, above all, scientifically-based climate protection targets. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) helps companies set science-based climate change targets in line with the provisions of the Paris Agreement. The SBTi is an initiative of the CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), the United Nations (UN Global Compact), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and WWF. Since its founding in 2015, some 7’500 companies around the world have set themselves science-based climate protection targets.

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The Mobility Cooperative generated a profit of CHF 1.4 million for 2023 with a turnover of CHF 84.2 million. The company is aiming to continue to promote car sharing as a sustainable form of mobility while heavily investing in electric mobility, technical staff and modernising its digital infrastructure.

Mobility generated a profit of CHF 1.4 million in 2023 with a slightly higher turnover of CHF 84.2 million (+0.3%) in comparison to the previous year. This result has exceeded expectations because the cooperative was up against a tough economic environment with a multitude of additional expenses. The profit and loss account was weighed down by the persistently high price of electric cars, the charging infrastructure, digitalisation costs and the ridepooling pilot project in the city of Zurich, among other things. Furthermore, Mobility invested in its technical staff with the company now employing 236 individuals (206 FTE). The financial result does, however, bring decisively positive news thanks to the sale of investments and higher interest income. “We knew that 2023 would be a challenging year and we are more than pleased with this result,” remarks Roland Lötscher, Mobility CEO.

Increase in private individuals and corporate clients
The carsharing company once again recorded an increase in its client base; 277'000 (an increase of 16'000) individuals now use around 3'000 vehicles across Switzerland, 500 of which are now electric cars. The number of members of the cooperative has also risen to 75'800 (+1'000). Businesses are increasingly using shared cars too. 5'350 companies (+3%) were using Mobility’s red vehicles by the end of 2023.

Using the new app for an improved experience
Last year, Mobility was far from idle and invested heavily to make carsharing even easier and better. The new Mobility app, which offers practical functions such as a price calculator, interactive maps and a simple way to send damage reports, is one example. The app was awarded many prizes shortly after it was launched. At the same time, Mobility has joined forces with other providers of shared mobility alternatives in 2023 to provide customers with attractive additional offers.  

Investments to affect coming profit and loss accounts
Despite the expansion of e-mobility losing steam in Switzerland due to the tough environment, Mobility will continue to install charging stations in car parks and electrify vehicles and make corresponding investments into this year. The target of travelling using only electricity by 2030 remains the same. But this is not the only transformation that the cooperative is undergoing. The digital systems and processes will continue to be improved, which will weigh down the profit and loss account over the next three years. “We are deliberately making these investments now so that we can keep growing sustainably in the future,” says Roland Lötscher. “Switzerland needs an extensive and reliable carsharing offer to make it as easy as possible for people to wave goodbye to private cars.” 

You can find out more about the 2023 fiscal year as well as Mobility’s detailed financial report here:
companyreport.mobility.ch

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A recent survey has shown that car ownership in Switzerland is falling dramatically, whilst the use of shared mobility services is on the rise. Mobility’s own figures point to a corresponding generational shift, with the number of users under the age of 28 having doubled over the last three years. 

Mobility’s customers are getting younger. The number of Mobility users has soared to more than a quarter of a million over the last few years. One age group in particular – the under 28s – has grown disproportionately in that time, doubling in size since 2020. Young car sharers have never been more visible. 

Is the number of car-free households set to double?
The fact that young people are increasingly opting for car sharing tallies with the findings of recent studies. A survey conducted by consulting firm Deloitte, the results of which were published in January 2024, found that the number of car-free households in Switzerland could double over the next decade, and expects the demand for on-demand and shared mobility services to grow massively in that period. A quarter of all participants in the Deloitte survey reported that they are already subscribed to a shared mobility service, increasing to 30% in the 34 or younger age group. These findings also tally with the results of the representative study on mobility conducted by Sotomo a few months prior, which concluded that “car ownership is less important to young people in urban environments.” Sotomo’s research also found that this younger demographic is particularly interested in car sharing, as “younger drivers have grown up with these types of offers, unlike older generations.”

Young people are opting for e-cars
Younger Mobility users behave similarly to the rest of the cooperative’s customers for the most part. One thing that does set them apart, however, is that younger users generally only spend four hours on the road per journey, which is slightly less than the average journey length. They also favour Mobility’s Economy category, which they choose in practically every other reservation, and opt for e-cars more often than other age groups.

Under 28s drive on the best terms
The Mobility Cooperative is aiming to convince young people of the benefits of car sharing even before they buy their vehicle. This is why drivers under the age of 28 can make the most of our mobilityYOUNG offer, with no monthly subscription costs once the user pays a one-off registration fee, so they can drive on the best terms. This offer has been a roaring success since it was introduced at the end of 2022, as shown by the ever-growing number of users.

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An ever-increasing share of Mobility cars are now electrically powered – in spite of the numerous regulatory and organisational challenges this involves. Now the cooperative is rolling out its 500th e-vehicle, and just this once has deliberately opted for a change from red.

Car sharing pioneer Mobility now celebrates a symbolic milestone on the way to electrifying its fleet: it has just placed its 500th electric car at the Akara Tower in Baden. "We see this as another landmark along the way to electrifying our range of vehicles," says Thomas Schmid, Head of Market. “Mobility is facing major challenges in this transformation process and, together with our station partners, we welcome every additional electric car we can make available to users.” 

For once, the VW ID.3 in question – available in Mobility’s Economy category – doesn't sport Mobility’s hallmark red finish, but instead features a special vinyl wrap designed by the artists’ collective REAL Crew to showcase the theme of electrification. The idea is to add a splash of colour to Swiss roads while at the same time making a statement about the mobility transition.

Far above the Swiss average
Mobility is on course to switching its entire fleet to electric power by 2030. This means it is an active contributor to modern, sustainable mobility – especially given that, even using fossil-based fuels, car sharing reduces CO2 emissions in addition to saving space and resources. Around 17% of Mobility’s 3'000 vehicles now run on electric power. For comparison: in 2023, only 3.3% of cars on Switzerland’s roads were purely electric.

Annual e-kilometres have increased tenfold 
Initial scepticism surrounding electric propulsion seems to have receded, at least when it comes to car sharing: Mobility customers have now covered a total of 13.5 million kilometres in electric vehicles – roughly 35 times the distance to the moon. The indication here is that increasing availability of electric cars results in more widespread use. The number of e-kilometres covered each year has increased tenfold in the past five years. It’s also interesting to note that e-cars tend to appeal more to male users than to women on average, though this difference becomes less marked, the younger the user group.

Electrification – a political issue 
E-car sharing is an important means of future-proofing the viability of mobility in Switzerland – ecologically, socially and economically. But a political and regulatory framework is required that actively promotes this development. For example, as a tenant of the 3'000 or so parking spaces where its vehicles are stationed, Mobility is dependent on the goodwill of its landlords when it comes to electrification – a “right to charge” throughout Switzerland, as exists in Germany, would have a positive impact on the transition. It’s also important for Mobility to have remote control of third-party charge points, with free access to the data. This is the only way the fleet operator can ensure intelligent charging and capacity management. 

“Switzerland still has a lot of catching up to do here,” says Krispin Romang of the electromobility association Swiss eMobility. “There’s been no subsidising of the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles at federal level to date, and no moves have been made to introduce the “right to charge”. In view of this, Mobility’s pace of transition to electric is more than impressive.”

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CONTACT MOBILITY
Stefan Roschi, Communication & Media Officer
Tel. 041 248 21 57, presse(at)mobility.ch